Category: Crypto
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African crypto startup Yellow Card raises $33M led by Blockchain Capital to scale its B2B pivot
Africa’s blockchain and crypto space is receiving a much-needed venture boost during a tough time for startups, some of which have retreated from specific markets or completely shut down due to issues like harsh regulatory environment, macros or downright mismanagement. The boost involves Yellow Card, the U.S.-founded crypto platform launched in Nigeria in 2019, which…
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Are Cybertrucks too angular for Europe?
Tesla’s Cybertruck is facing blowback in Europe, particularly over pedestrian safety concerns. Euro NCAP, a voluntary but influential car safety assessment program in Europe, has not in any way tested the Cybertruck, but based on a visual assessment alone, raised alarms over its sharp, angular design, saying it could pose a serious threat to pedestrians.…
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This Week in AI: AWS loses a top AI exec
Hiya, folks, welcome to TechCrunch’s regular AI newsletter. If you want this in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. Last week, AWS lost a top AI exec. Matt Wood, VP of AI, announced that he’d be leaving AWS after 15 years. Wood had long been involved in the Amazon division’s AI initiatives; he was appointed…
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GM partners with startup Forge Nano to improve EV battery life, performance, and safety
General Motors is working with Forge Nano, a materials science startup, to find new ways to enhance the performance and lifetime of electric vehicle battery cells. The automaker’s investment arm, GM Ventures, on Wednesday injected $10 million into Forge Nano, which is developing a thin coating the startup says will help improve safety and increase…
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Fisker owners get help with recall repairs as court approves liquidation plan
Fisker’s plan to liquidate its assets has been accepted by the bankruptcy court in Delaware. And with it, the issue of who should pay for labor costs associated with a pair of recalls on the bankrupt EV startup’s SUVs is finally settled. Fisker has also reached a deal with American Lease, the buyer of its…
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Apple debuts new business tools for managing presence across email, calls, and Tap to Pay
Apple on Wednesday announced an expanded series of tools that will allow businesses to increase their visibility on Apple’s platforms via its free service, Apple Business Connect. Launched last year, the online portal lets businesses manage their presence across Apple’s 1.5 billion devices in areas like Maps, Siri, Spotlight search, Safari, and Wallet. Now, business…
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After selling Drift, ex-HubSpot exec launches AI for customer success managers
Elias Torres has achieved a lot for somebody who immigrated to the US from Nicaragua at 17 without knowing any English. He served as a VP of engineering at HubSpot before co-founding Drift, a company that sold to Vista Equity for about $1.2 billion in 2021. “It’s very rare to get this far, but I’m…
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Y Combinator-backed fintech CapWay has shut down
Sheena Allen, the company’s founder, told TechCrunch that CapWay had to close after it couldn’t raise another round. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. CapWay, a Y Combinator-backed fintech that sought to bring financial services to those in so-called “banking deserts,” has been shut down, according to its founder Sheena…
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SpaceX sues California agency, alleging political bias against Musk and regulatory overreach
SpaceX has filed a lawsuit against a California agency this week after the body rejected a proposal to increase the company’s launches from the state’s coastline to 50 per year. The California Coastal Commission (CCC) made its decision at an October 10 meeting, despite the U.S. Air Force endorsing the plan on the grounds that…
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Watch a robot dog run under water
MAB Robotics Tuesday showcased the latest trick from its Honey Badger robot. In a video, the quadruped is seen running along the bottom of a pool. Legs don’t generally make more sense than propellers or other more standard methods of underwater robot locomotion, but the video demonstrates a sense of robustness and dynamism not often…