French startup Karmen has secured a small funding round so that it can improve its instant financing products. The company offers short-term loans to small companies facing a working capital crunch. It’s a €9 million equity-and-debt round ($9.4 million at today’s exchange rates) with Seventure Partners buying a stake in the small startup. Financière Arbevel…
Category: Global IT News
Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy
President Trump signs exec order to make Musk’s DOGE commission more official
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory commission spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk recommending deep cuts to federal agencies, could soon become more official, should an executive order signed by President Donald Trump pass legal muster. On Monday evening, Trump signed an order that renames the U.S. Digital Service, which was created in 2014…
Donald Trump, Executive order, Global IT News, Global Security News, In Brief, president donald trump, Social, social media, TikTok, Trump
Trump signs exec order, delaying TikTok enforcement action for 75 days
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at restoring TikTok service in the U.S. The order instructs relevant government agencies to “pursue a resolution” that “protects national security” while “saving [TikTok.]” Via the order, Trump is instructing the U.S. Attorney General not to take any action for 75 days to enforce the Protecting…
AI, Donald Trump, former president joe biden, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government, Government & Policy, In Brief, Policy
President Trump repeals Biden’s AI executive order
During his first day in office, President Donald Trump revoked a 2023 executive order signed by former President Joe Biden that sought to reduce the potential risks AI poses to consumers, workers, and national security. Biden’s executive order directed the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to author guidance that helps companies…
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Peter Kyle, public health, social services
UK to unveil ‘Humphrey’ assistant for civil servants with other AI plans to cut bureaucracy
A week after the U.K. government announced a sweeping plan to make big investments into AI, it’s laying out more details around how this will take shape in the public sector. On the agenda: AI assistants to speed up public services; data sharing deals across siloed departments; and a new set of AI tools —…
agents, AI, Apps, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Leak, openai, operator, rumor
OpenAI’s agent tool may be nearing release
OpenAI may be close to releasing an AI tool that can take control of your PC and perform actions on your behalf. Tibor Blaho, a software engineer with a reputation for accurately leaking upcoming AI products, claims to have uncovered evidence of OpenAI’s long-rumored Operator tool. Publications including Bloomberg have previously reported on Operator, which…
AI, chatbot, friend, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, shipment, startup, Startups
Friend delays shipments of its ‘AI companion’ pendant
Friend, a startup creating a $99, AI-powered necklace designed to be treated as a digital companion, has delayed its first batch of shipments until Q3. Friend had planned to ship devices to pre-order customers in Q1. But according to co-founder and CEO Avi Schiffman, that’s no longer feasible. “As much as I would liked to…
Ford, Global IT News, Global Security News, nhtsa, Tesla, Transportation
US safety regulators expand Ford hands-free driving tech investigation
A U.S. federal safety regulator has “upgraded” its investigation into Ford’s hands-free advanced driver assistance system known as BlueCruise — a required step before a recall can be issued. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation launched a probe into Ford BlueCruise last April after the agency confirmed the system was active…
Gaming, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, TC
At the Microsoft Excel World Championship, selfies and a ‘hype’ tunnel
An arena. A hype tunnel, the kind through which NBA players typically streak. A competitor dressed in a jersey patterned with a six-pack abs. In a new piece, the New York Times takes readers to an event that organizers call the Microsoft Excel World Championship, a 40-minute, Las Vegas-based competition featuring 12 contestants — all…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Powering profits with sunshine: How businesses are leading the Solar Revolution
GUEST OPINION: As the global push for sustainability intensifies, businesses are stepping up to the challenge, not just out of environmental responsibility but for strategic economic advantage. Solar energy has emerged as a cornerstone of this transformation, offering companies a chance to cut costs, boost profits, and enhance their reputations. Welcome to the solar revolution,…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Macquarie invests A$80 million for stake in broadband operator Brazil TecPar
Australian tech investment group Macquarie Capital has agreed to invest A$80 million into Brazilian fixed broadband operator Brazil TecPar to expand its optical fibre network.
Apps, Bluesky, flipboard, Global IT News, Global Security News, open social web, Social, social media, social networking, surf, Video
Flipboard’s new app Surf adds its own video feed, too
After the TikTok ban went into effect on Sunday, social network Bluesky launched a custom feed for videos on its platform. Now, Flipboard’s newest app, Surf, which is dedicated to browsing the open social web and decentralized services like Mastodon and Bluesky, is taking advantage of that move to introduce a video feed of its…
AI, deepseek, deepseek-r1, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, high flyer, Open AI, r1, TC
DeepSeek claims its reasoning model beats OpenAI’s o1 on certain benchmarks
Chinese AI lab DeepSeek has released an open version of DeepSeek-R1, its so-called reasoning model, that it claims performs as well as OpenAI’s o1 on certain AI benchmarks. R1 is available from the AI dev platform Hugging Face under an MIT license, meaning it can be used commercially without restrictions. According to DeepSeek, R1 beats…
Apps, Flip, Global IT News, Global Security News, iOS apps, Likee, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban
RedNote, Flip, Clapper and Likee claim the top of the App Store as TikTok comes back online
TikTok may be back, but that hasn’t prevented other Chinese competitors from gaining users. In the lead up to a ban on TikTok — which kicked off Sunday and lasted a day — a number of other video apps rose through the ranks and now dominate the App Store’s Top Charts. The Chinese app RedNote…
AI, AI agents, Artificial Intelligence, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, VC, Venture, venture capital
Here are the types of AI companies enterprise VCs want to back in 2025
The AI startup market is sprawling, from companies looking to develop new chips, to those using AI to build robots, to others looking to use AI to create niche solutions for industry-specific workflows. There are a lot of potential areas for venture capitalists to invest in, but there are clearly a few subsectors they are…
Global IT News, Global Security News
New Relic appoints Simon Lee as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Asia-Pacific and Japan
New Relic, the Intelligent Observability company, has announced the appointment of Simon Lee as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ).
Global IT News, Global Security News
Upgrading legacy systems to cloud solutions: Securing the future of defence supply chains
GUEST OPINION: Operational efficiency and cybersecurity are critical to defence suppliers in manufacturing. Third-party supply chain participants in the sector, from small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) to large enterprises, play a vital role in maintaining the ecosystem.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Rimini Street ‘honoured by clients and industry’ with Buyer’s Choice, Service and Leadership Awards
Company continues to lead the third-party software support and innovation solutions market, focusing on delivering strategic, operational and financial success for its clients COMPANY NEWS: Rimini Street, a global provider of end-to-end enterprise software support and innovation solutions, the leading third-party support provider for Oracle, SAP and VMware software, today announced it has been honoured…
Global IT News, Global Security News, M&A, Metropolis, parking, surveillance, TC
Sources: AI vision startup Metropolis is buying Oosto (formerly known as AnyVision) for just $125M
The general hype around all things AI is not lifting all boats: certain startups continue to struggle and are looking for exits. In one of the latest developments, TechCrunch has heard from a reliable source that Metropolis, an AI-powered parking platform, is buying Oosto, the controversial computer vision company that used to be known as…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Top networking trends for 2025: AI, automation, and the future of Data Connectivity
GUEST OPINION by Bruce Bennie, Vice President & General Manager, Australia & New Zealand at Juniper Networks: 2024 saw a rapid adoption in AI and sustainable innovation as more businesses looked to better streamline operations, transform customer experiences and optimise energy consumption.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Vectra AI launches scholarship programme to foster the next Generation of talent in AI and cybersecurity
The Vectra AI Scholars Programme will empower students to develop creative solutions that harness the power of AI to identify patterns of attacker behaviour across the expanding hybrid attack surface COMPANY NEWS: Vectra AI, the leader in AI-driven XDR (extended detection and response), today announced the launch of the Vectra AI Scholars Programme, a scholarship…
Commerce, Global IT News, Global Security News, India, Quick commerce, Zepto, zomato
Blinkit signals costly battle ahead in Indian quick commerce market
Zomato’s quick commerce unit Blinkit is accelerating its expansion and expects continued losses as competition intensifies in India’s instant delivery market. Blinkit now aims to reach 2,000 dark stores – small warehouses in residential areas that exclusively service online orders – by December 2025, a year ahead of its previous guidance, after exceeding 1,000 stores…
bytedance, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban, Twitter
X is rolling out a dedicated vertical video feed for US users
Social network X is trying to capitalize on the removal of ByteDance apps like TikTok and Lemon8 from U.S. app stores by launching a dedicated vertical video feed. The company is adding a video tab in the app’s bottom bar for users in the U.S. to let them quickly access video content on the platform.…
Africa, fund return, Global IT News, Global Security News, moniepoint, Oui Capital, Startups, Venture
How African VC firm Oui Capital returned its first fund with Moniepoint’s unicorn exit
At a recent investor meeting, early-stage African investor Oui Capital informed limited partners that it had returned its $4 million debut fund following the sale of some shares in the business banking platform Moniepoint. The African fintech unicorn has so far proven to be a standout investment for five-year-old Oui Capital. When it launched its…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, TC, TikTok, TikTok Ban, Twitter
Bluesky launches a custom feed for vertical videos
It is the product shipping time for all social networks with TikTok’s services in the restoration phase, and the app still unavailable in the App Store and the Play Store. Bluesky said Sunday that it is launching a custom feed for vertical video in its app. Users can see a trending videos section in the explore tab…
Donald Trump, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, inauguration, live tv, Media & Entertainment, streaming
How to stream Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day 2025
Donald Trump will take the presidential oath of office on Monday in front of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., once again. The event takes place at noon ET and is expected to attract considerable attention from both supporters and opponents. How to stream Trump’s inauguration You can watch the inauguration live with cable or…
Global IT News, Global Security News
How to talk to your teen about online safety: a guide from Snap
With students soon returning to school after the summer holidays, many with their own mobile phones for the first time, lots of parents will be navigating new conversations with their teens about how to stay safe online as the new school year begins. Here’s guidance how to broach the topic, from Snapchat’s global head of platform…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Why Australia’s AI future must look beyond data centres
The explosive growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries, creating machines capable of answering questions or creating multi-media content that will be integral to Australia’s future economy. As AI becomes more embedded in everyday life, the ubiquity of compute power is critical for the technology to truly take off.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Nokia to connect TenneT North Sea offshore wind farms with optical network
Nokia has been selected by Dutch government owned offshore transmission systems operator TenneT to provide the optical networking technology for eight new 2GW wind energy platforms in the Dutch North Sea.
Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Joe Lonsdale, Kevin Hartz, mach industries, Venture, xoom
From recruiting for Palantir to landing a plane on Highway 85: meet defense tech’s wildest power broker
Peter Conway has recruited for some of the buzziest defense and hard tech firms in Silicon Valley over the last decade, like Palantir and Mach Industries. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Cisco unveils solution to secure AI transformation of enterprises
Networking hardware giant Cisco has unveiled a solution to protect against security threats during AI transformation within enterprises.
AI, epoch ai, frontiermath, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, o3, openai
AI benchmarking organization criticized for waiting to disclose funding from OpenAI
An organization developing math benchmarks for AI didn’t disclose that it had received funding from OpenAI until relatively recently, drawing allegations of impropriety from some in the AI community. Epoch AI, a nonprofit primarily funded by Open Philanthropy, a research and grantmaking foundation, revealed on December 20 that OpenAI had supported the creation of FrontierMath.…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta
Meta announces a new video editing app called Edits amidst TikTok and CapCut ban
Meta today announced a new video editing app called Edits, after ByteDance’s video editing app CapCut was removed from Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store as part of the TikTok ban. Instagram head Adam Mosseri (pictured above) said on Threads that the app will launch next month on iOS, with an Android version…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Semperis Announces Lightning Intelligence to Provide Easy SaaS Offering for Active Directory and Entra ID Security Posture Assessment
New easy-to-deploy online security posture assessment for hybrid AD environments provides unprecedented visibility into security vulnerabilities, reducing cyberattack risk for small and mid-sized organisations and the most complex identity environment
Apps, bytedance, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, social media, TikTok, TikTok Ban
TikTok goes dark in the US
TikTok has gone dark in the U.S., the result of a federal law that bans the popular short-form video app for millions of Americans — at least for now. TikTok users began receiving a message about the ban around 10:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday evening, and the app also disappeared from the Apple and Google…
bytedance, Donald Trump, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Media & Entertainment, Social, Startups, TikTok, TikTok Ban
Trump says he will delay TikTok ban, suggests a joint venture with US ownership
TikTok went dark for users in the US on Saturday night, but it may not be gone for long. President-elect Donald Trump posted on Truth Social this morning that he will issuing an executive order Monday that will “extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, OAuth, Security, Startups
Employees of failed startups are at special risk of stolen personal data through old Google logins
As if losing your job when the startup you work for collapses isn’t bad enough, now a security researcher has found that employees at failed startups are at particular risk of having their data stolen. This ranges from their private Slack messages to Social Security numbers and, potentially, bank accounts. The researcher who discovered the…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Manhattan Debuts Postgame Spotlight, a Rich Analytics Tool to Optimise Fulfilment Performance
Latest offering provides guidance for improved inventory allocation, enabling retailers to overcome fulfilment constraints, reducecosts and increase overall profitability
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, hallucinations, LLMs, Research, TC
AI isn’t very good at history, new paper finds
Top LLMs performed poorly on a high-level history test, a new paper has found. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Australia’s ‘first independent tech policy’ think tank launched
COMPANY NEWS: Australia’s first independent think tank dedicated to technology policy, the Tech Policy Design Institute (TPDi) has been launched today.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Rapid Circle names new A/NZ leadership to ‘drive innovation’ for Microsoft solutions and AI
Tech consultancy and cloud transformation services company Rapid Circle has announced two key leadership appointments to accelerate its regional growth and “continue the impressive trajectory the company has experienced over the past few years”.
Apple, Apps, bytedance, Global IT News, Global Security News, TikTok, TikTok Ban
Apple lists all apps it removed alongside TikTok in the U.S.
Amid the TikTok shutdown, in a rare move, Apple published a statement and a support document listing all affected apps that are inaccessible in the U.S. The iPhone maker typically doesn’t publish information for when it blocks apps. Notably, other ByteDance apps, including CapCut, Lemon8 — which surged in the last few months — and…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media, TikTok
TikTok goes dark in the US
TikTok has gone dark in the U.S., the result of a federal law that bans the popular social media app for millions of Americans — at least for now. TikTok users began receiving a message about the ban around 10:30 p.m. Eastern. As of Saturday evening, the app was also no longer available in the…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Rivada Space Networks wins deal to expand Vodafone Cook Islands network
Vodafone Cook Islands and German satellite network provider Rivada Space Networks have signed an MoU to provide space based telecoms connectivity in the Oceania region and beyond.
Global IT News, Global Security News
u-blox to phase out loss making mobile business and focus on RTLS
Switzerland domiciled wireless semiconductors maker u-blox has announced a decision to increase its focus on its real-time locations systems (RTLS) business and phase out its loss making mobile business.
Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Perplexity AI, Social, Startups, TikTok
Perplexity AI submits bid to merge with TikTok
With a TikTok ban looming in the United States, Perplexity AI is the latest bidder hoping to give the video app a new corporate home. CNBC first reported on Perplexity’s interest. A source with knowledge of the offer confirmed to TechCrunch that Perplexity (whose CEO Aravind Srinivas is pictured above) has submitted a bid to…
AI, Alphabet, Amazon, Anthropic, Enterprise, FTC, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Government & Policy, Microsoft, openai
FTC says partnerships like Microsoft-OpenAI raise antitrust concerns
The Federal Trade Commission said in a staff report issued Friday that there are potential competitive issues in partnerships between big tech companies and generative AI developers — specifically, Microsoft’s backing of OpenAI and Amazon and Alphabet/Google’s partnerships with Anthropic. “The FTC’s report sheds light on how partnerships by big tech firms can create lock-in,…
Global IT News, Global Security News, rednote, Social, TikTok
What we know about the TikTok ban
Welcome back to Week in Review. This week, we’re looking at the impacts of the looming TikTok ban in the U.S., including the “TikTok refugees” moving to Chinese app RedNote, the surge of English speakers learning Mandarin on Duolingo, and more! Let’s get into it. The Supreme Court upheld the law that will effectively ban…
Global IT News, Global Security News, PropTech, QED Investors, Real estate, shutdowns, Startups, Tiger Global Management
Once high-flying proptech startups Divvy Homes and EasyKnock are the latest to struggle
Many proptech startups, born and funded during the low-interest-rate heydays, are in the throes of struggle. With investments into U.S.-based real estate startups falling from $11.1 billion in 2021 to $3.7 billion last year, according to PitchBook data, some are selling themselves off, while others are closing shop. The two most recent examples are the…
AT&T, cyberattacks, Cybersecurity, data breach, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Security, Snowflake, us government
DOJ confirms arrested US Army soldier is linked to AT&T and Verizon hacks
The alleged hacker claimed to have access to huge amounts of call records, including VP Kamala Harris and President Trump. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Cybersecurity, data breach, EdTech, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hackers, hacking, infosec, K-12, powerschool, Security
How victims of PowerSchool’s data breach helped each other investigate ‘massive’ hack
School workers say they resorted to crowdsourcing help among each other following PowerSchool’s breach, fueled by solidarity and the slow response from PowerSchool. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Canoo, electric vehicles, EVs, Global IT News, Global Security News, Transportation
EV startup Canoo files for bankruptcy and ceases operations
Seven-year-old electric vehicle startup Canoo has filed for bankruptcy and will “cease operations immediately.” The company is liquidating its assets in a Chapter 7 proceeding in the Delaware Bankruptcy Court. The company said in a press release published late Friday that it was “in discussions with foreign sources of capital” that proved unsuccessful, and also…
AI, Amazon, Global IT News, Global Security News, In Brief, Prime Air, Transportation
Amazon suspends US drone deliveries following crash at testing facility
Amazon has paused testing of its delivery drones following a crash involving two of its models, according to Bloomberg. It’s the latest setback for Amazon’s beleaguered Prime Air program, which aims to deliver around 500 million packages a year to customers by the end of the decade. Bloomberg reports two Amazon drones crashed in rainy…
antitrust, ChatGPT, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Government & Policy, openai, sam altman
ChatGPT’s head of product will testify in the US government’s case against Google
The U.S. government has picked Nick Turley, ChatGPT’s head of product, to testify in its antitrust case against Google. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, netradyne, Point72 Private Investments, Startups, Transportation
Netradyne snags $90M at $1.35B valuation to expand smart dashcams for commercial fleets
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents and a major reason why auto insurance premiums are expected to increase in 2025. For commercial fleets, that’s a nightmare. But for California-based startup Netradyne, it’s a tailwind. Netradyne provides fleet owners, including big names like Amazon, with AI-enabled dashcams that collect vehicle data…
acquisition, AI, Apps, Enterprise, Fundraising, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Perplexity, read.cv, Social, social network, Startups
Perplexity acquires Read.cv, a social media platform for professionals
Read.cv, a social media platform for professionals that competed with LinkedIn, has been acquired by AI-powered search engine Perplexity. As part of the deal, Read.cv will begin to wind down operations Friday. Users will be able to export their data, including their profiles, posts, and messages, until May 16. “We’ve long admired Perplexity and believe…
Apps, Evergreen, Global IT News, Global Security News, TikTok, TikTok Ban
TikTok ban: How to download your videos and data
The Supreme Court has upheld a ban on TikTok. Before the app goes dark on Sunday, you’re probably wondering how to back up the dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of videos you may have on the platform. Whether you want to save your favorite videos or videos you posted yourself, here’s how to do it. And…
Apps, games, Global IT News, Global Security News
AI startup Character AI tests games on the web
Character AI, a startup that lets users chat with different AI-powered characters, is now testing games on its desktop and mobile web apps to increase engagement on its platform. The games are available to Character AI’s paid subscribers and a limited set of users on the free plan. For this initial release, the company developed…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, moderation, Social, social media
Bluesky saw 17x increase in moderation reports in 2024 after rapid growth
Bluesky on Friday published its moderation report for the past year, noting the sizable growth the social network experienced in 2024 and how that affected its Trust & Safety team’s workload. It also noted that the largest number of reports came from users reporting accounts or posts for harassment, trolling, or intolerance — an issue…
AI, Apps, ChatGPT, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Open AI
ChatGPT’s newest feature lets users assign it traits like ‘chatty’ and ‘Gen Z’
Update: OpenAI officially announced this feature one week after some users reported the arrival, and then disappearance, of the new options. It’s possible they went live prematurely. OpenAI is introducing a new way for users to customize their interactions with ChatGPT, the company’s AI-powered chatbot. On Friday, OpenAI announced it is rolling out a new…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban, Trump
TikTok CEO responds to Trump, thanks him for trying to solve US ban
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew responded to comments made by Donald Trump regarding Friday’s Supreme Court ruling to ban the app in the U.S. In a video posted on TikTok, Chew said, “On behalf of everyone at TikTok and all our users across the country, I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to…
Blue Origin, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Space, SpaceX, Transportation
SpaceX and Blue Origin must investigate this week’s big rocket tests, FAA says
The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin to investigate what went wrong on their respective mega-rocket test flights this week. The regulator said both companies must perform what’s known as a “mishap investigation.” These probes involve the companies and the FAA working together to understand what went wrong,…
AI, ai models, Biotech & Health, ChatGPT, Global IT News, Global Security News, human longevity, In Brief, openai, TC
OpenAI is trying to extend human life, with help from a longevity startup
OpenAI says it trained a new AI model called GPT-4b micro with Retro Biosciences, a longevity science startup trying to extend the human lifespan by 10 years, according to the MIT Technology Review. Retro, which is backed by Sam Altman, has been working with OpenAI for roughly a year on this research, according to the…
Amazon, AWS, Climate, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, net zero, renewable energy, Solar Power, sustainability, Wind power
Amazon bought more renewable power last year than any other company
Amazon added around 100 new renewable projects last year. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apps, Evergreen, evergreens, fanbase, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Instagram Reels, lemon8, rednote, Snapchat, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban, YouTube Shorts, zigazoo
As TikTok faces a US shutdown, here are some alternative apps to check out
TikTok has warned of a looming shutdown in just six days, as the Supreme Court is currently weighing the law that would ban the app. So we thought it’s time to take a look at other platforms that may be able to fill the TikTok-shaped hole in our lives. The law gives TikTok parent company…
Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, nvidia, Startups, Startups Weekly, Venture
Big Tech expands its reach with new startup acquisitions and investments
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’s newsletter is about startups, but it is also about Big Tech companies expanding their reach, both through acquisitions and through investments. Most interesting startup stories…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Google Search, Javascript
Google begins requiring JavaScript for Google Search
Google says it has begun requiring users to turn on JavaScript, the widely-used programming language to make web pages interactive, in order to use Google Search. In an email to TechCrunch, a company spokesperson claimed that the change is intended to “better protect” Google Search against malicious activity, such as bots and spam, and to…
Cybersecurity, Global IT News, Global Security News, hacking, Salt Typhoon, Security, silk typhoon, us treasury
Treasury sanctions Salt Typhoon hacking group behind breaches of major US telecom firms
The US government has also sanctioned the hacker responsible for December’s US Treasury hack © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
cyberattack, Cybersecurity, data breach, education, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, powerschool, Security, TC
Malware stole internal PowerSchool passwords from engineer’s hacked computer
The theft of a PowerSchool engineer’s passwords prior to the breach raises further doubts about the company’s security practices. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, whitney wolfe herde
Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd to reclaim CEO position in March
Bumble announced today that founder Whitney Wolfe Herd is returning as CEO after stepping down from the position in 2023. Wolfe Herd will succeed Lidiane Jones, the company’s current CEO who has left for “personal reasons,” Bumble explained. Jones, the former CEO of Slack, will continue her role at Bumble until the transition takes effect…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta, Social, social media, TikTok Ban
Instagram Reels rolls out new features for U.S. users as TikTok is banned
Instagram announced a timely update to its video feature Reels this morning, alongside the news that the Supreme Court upheld the law that will ban TikTok in the U.S. on January 19. The update, says Meta, will make it easier for users to discover the content that friends and followers are liking on the platform…
electric vehicles, EVs, Global IT News, Global Security News, Rivian, Transportation
Rivian finalizes $6.6B loan for its Georgia factory
Rivian and the Department of Energy have finalized a $6.6 billion loan announced in November with just a few days left until Donald Trump’s inauguration. The company will use the loan to help build out its planned factory in Georgia, east of Atlanta, with construction beginning in 2026. The first R2 SUVs are scheduled to…
Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instabase
Instabase raises $100M to help companies process unstructured document data
Instabase, a company that creates software for extracting processing unstructured data from myriad document types, has raised $100 million in a Series D round of funding. The announcement comes as companies struggle under a deluge of data — data that can unlock key business insights. Indeed, most of the data that companies generate is “unstructured,”…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, supreme court, TikTok, TikTok Ban
Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban
The Supreme Court has upheld the law that will effectively ban TikTok on Sunday, January 19. The decision marks the end of TikTok’s months-long legal fight against a law that essentially forces the ByteDance-owned app to shut down unless it divests its U.S. operations. As of Sunday, it will be illegal for app stores and…
Climate, Donald Trump, Founders Fund, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, greenland, Ken Howery, PayPal Mafia, Real estate, Venture
Ken Howery: the tech mogul at the center of Trump’s Greenland ambition
Surprise! Donald Trump’s big, audacious ambition to buy Greenland from Denmark has a tech angle. Ken Howery, named by U.S. President-elect Trump’s pick to be the next ambassador to the country (and thus chief broker of any deal), is one more part of the rich seam of tech people running through Trump’s upcoming administration. Part…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Transportation
GM banned from sharing driving and location data with insurance companies
The order bans the automaker from selling consumers’ information to data brokers for five years. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News, News and Trends
NBN Upgrade An Early 2025 Boost For Australian MSPs
The Australian government’s latest $3.8 billion investment in NBN infrastructure presents significant opportunities for managed service providers and IT channel organizations as the network transitions away from copper-based connections by 2030. FTTP connectivity expands to more premises The upgrade, announced this week, will bring fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) connectivity to an additional 622,000 premises currently served by…
AI, Enterprise, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Index Ventures, Nexos.ai, Nord Security, nordvpn, Tomas Okmanas
Nord Security founders launch Nexos.ai to help enterprises take AI projects from pilot to production
A new AI orchestration startup from the founders of Lithuanian unicorn Nord Security is setting out to help enterprises put their AI projects into production, with an initial focus on bringing greater visibility, security and adaptability to large language models (LLMs). Nexos.ai, as the startup is called, is the handiwork of Tomas Okmanas (pictured above)…
Apple, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, India
Apple brings Store app to Indian market
Apple launched its dedicated Apple Store app in India on Friday, deepening its retail presence in the world’s most populous country as the iPhone-maker seeks to capitalize on growing consumer demand. The app, available for download on India’s App Store, lets customers purchase Apple products directly while receiving personalized shopping recommendations, the company said in…
FAA, Global IT News, Global Security News, Space, SpaceX, Starship, Transportation
FAA had to divert flights because of SpaceX Starship explosion
The Federal Aviation Administration has told TechCrunch that it had to “briefly” slow and divert a number of aircraft near the area where debris was seen falling after SpaceX’s Starship exploded during a test flight Thursday. Multiple flights could be seen entering holding patterns or completely changing course in the airspace near Puerto Rico shortly…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Space, SpaceX, Starship
SpaceX catches Starship booster a second time, loses ship to an ‘anomaly’ in space
SpaceX caught the Starship rocket’s Super Heavy booster for a second time, after it launched the upper stage into space on Thursday during a seventh test flight of the system. Soon after the successful catch, SpaceX representatives reported the ship was lost after the company lost contact about eight and half minutes into the flight.…
AI, Anthropic, Global IT News, Global Security News, openai, PitchBook Data, VC Investments, Venture, Waymo, xAI
Despite VCs investing $75B in Q4 , it’s still hard for startups to raise money, data proves
After two years of relatively muted investment activity, it seems that VCs are starting to pour capital into startups at pandemic-era levels once again. But a closer look shows that they aren’t really. In the fourth quarter of last year, investors funneled $74.6 billion into US startups, a substantial increase from the average of $42…
exits, Global IT News, Global Security News, Insight Partners, new funds, TC, Venture
New York powerhouse VC Insight Partners nabs another $12.5B after $8B in exits
Insight Partners closed another giant flagship fund after big returns in 2024. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
accounting, bench, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, venture capital
Failed fintech startup Bench racked up over $65 million in debt, documents reveal
Canadian Fintech Bench had over $65 million in debt but less than $3 million in cash, documents reveal. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, Apple, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, notification summaries
Apple pauses AI notification summaries for news after generating false alerts
Apple is pausing AI notification summaries for news and entertainment apps after facing backlash for generating inaccurate news alerts. In addition, the company is introducing changes to notification summaries as a whole to allow for greater transparency. With the latest round of developer previews for iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3, Apple is disabling…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, Social, Threads
Threads might let you add music to your posts in the future
Meta’s Threads is internally prototyping the ability to add music to posts, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. The option to add music to posts is already available on Meta’s other social apps, Instagram and Facebook. It looks like the company is now thinking about bringing the feature to Threads, its X competitor. The feature isn’t…
Climate, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, mining, oceans, Policy
Trump administration might give a boost to deep-sea mining for critical minerals
A string of nominees all previously said that they support the practice A string of nominees all previously said that they support the controversial practice. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Climate, Global IT News, Global Security News, Venture
Climate tech matured in 2024 as investors favored bigger rounds, later stages
Climate tech may have had a down year in 2024, but new data also shows a maturing sector with larger deal sizes. Venture investment in the climate tech sector was down 7% to $12.9 billion, $1 billion shy of 2023’s tally, according to data in a new PitchBook report. The report found that round size…
AI, AI agents, Artificial Intelligence, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, Marc Benioff, nvidia, Salesforce
Nvidia releases more tools and guardrails to nudge enterprises to adopt AI agents
Nvidia is releasing three new NIM microservices, or small independent services that are part of larger applications, to help enterprises bring additional control and safety measures to their AI agents. One of these new NIM services targets content safety and works to prevent an AI agent from generating harmful or biased outputs. Another works to…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mark Cuban, open social web, Social, social networking, Startups, TikTok
Mark Cuban is ready to fund a TikTok alternative built on Bluesky’s AT Protocol
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, including…
Global IT News, Global Security News, techcrunch mobility, Tesla, Transportation
A rising EV startup star snags $100M and Tesla’s win-lose federal funding moment
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Before we move into the news of this week, we have one more roundup of transportation tech at CES 2025. As I noted last week, autonomous vehicle…
etoro, Fintech, Global IT News, Global Security News, IPO
Trading platform eToro said to be eyeing $5B US IPO in 2025
Trading platform eToro has reportedly filed confidentially for a US IPO that could value the company at over $5 billion. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apps, federated apps, fediverse, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mastodon, Meta, mobile apps, Social, social apps, social media, social networking, Threads
Instagram Threads won’t share a timeline for account portability
Will Instagram Threads truly integrate with the fediverse, also known as the open social web, to allow its users not only to interact with people on other services like Twitter alternative Mastodon but also to move their account elsewhere if they decide that Meta’s policies are no longer to their liking? Today that answer remains…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social
TikTok ban poised to be delayed as Trump explores ways to extend deadline
The U.S. ban on TikTok is poised to be delayed as the deadline falls on the MLK Day holiday weekend and President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration intends to find a way to extend the deadline, Bloomberg reports. Biden officials see the issue as one for Trump’s incoming administration, as the current administration doesn’t plan to intervene…
Global IT News, Global Security News, IPO, raising, Startups
Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon tells startups to reconsider going public
Goldman Sachs is one of the biggest investment banker “book runners” for IPOs – where banks are paid many millions of dollars for each listing they underwrite. Yet CEO David Solomon told attendees of the Cisco AI Summit in Palo Alto that startups should reconsider the idea of going public, reports the Financial Times. Solomon…
Biotech & Health, Fundraising, Future Ventures, Global IT News, Global Security News, Medical Devices, NeuroBionics
This MIT spinout wants to spool hair-thin fibers into patients’ brains
You can’t start a company without a healthy dose of daring, and that’s certainly the case with NeuroBionics. The MIT-spinout thinks it could one day improve the lives of millions of people who live with neurological conditions like depression, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. Famed investor Steve Jurvetson of Future Ventures said that if everything goes…
Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, symbotic, Walmart
Symbotic set to take over Walmart’s robotics business
Walmart and Symbotic announced a deal Tuesday that would find the Massachusetts robotics firm taking control of the mega-retailer’s automation business. Symbotic is paying $200 million in cash for the program, plus up to $350 million in “additional contingent consideration,” depending on how the deal shakes out. The relationship is more partnership than straight acquisition,…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Ohio, Palmer Luckey, Startups
Anduril to build its billion-dollar weapons megafactory in Ohio
Today, Anduril announced it is building their massive weapons factory, Arsenal-1, in Columbus, Ohio, confirming TechCrunch’s earlier reporting. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
electric vehicles, EVs, Global IT News, Global Security News, Polestar, Transportation
Polestar digs in for another grim year
Volvo spinoff Polestar had a rough 2024, and 2025 looks like it could be just as difficult. The EV maker announced Thursday that it expects to generate less revenue in fiscal year 2024 than it did in 2023, after previously estimating sales would stay the same. That’s thanks to “fewer than expected Polestar 3 and…
Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, netradyne, Startups, Transportation
Netradyne snags $90M at $1.25B valuation to expand smart dashcams for commercial fleets
Distracted driving is a leading cause of car crashes — and rising auto insurance premiums, which are expected to increase in 2025. For commercial fleets, that’s an expensive challenge to navigate. But for California-based startup Netradyne, it’s a tailwind. Netradyne provides fleet owners, including big names like Amazon, with AI-enabled dashcams that collect vehicle data…