Category: Enterprise
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Farcaster, a crypto-based social network, raised $150M with just 80K daily users
Farcaster, a blockchain-based social protocol founded by two Coinbase alumni, announced on Tuesday that it closed a $150 million fundraise. Led by Paradigm, the platform also raised money from a16z crypto, Haun Ventures, USV, Variant, Standard Crypto and others, according to a blog post by founder Dan Romero. Farcaster, the social protocol, invites developers to…
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Autodesk acquires AI-powered VFX startup Wonder Dynamics
Autodesk — the 3D tools behemoth — has acquired Wonder Dynamics, a startup that lets creators quickly and easily make complex characters and visual effects using AI-powered image analysis. The two companies have worked closely together for years but are making it official today. Wonder Dynamics, founded by VFX artist Nikola Todorovic and actor Tye…
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Contour Venture Partners, an early investor in Datadog and Movable Ink, lowers the target for its fifth fund
Longtime New York-based seed investor, Contour Venture Partners, is making progress on its latest flagship fund after lowering its target. The firm closed on $42 million, raised from 64 backers, for Contour Venture Partners Fund V, according to an SEC filing from May 17. The firm is targeting $70 million for its fifth flagship fund…
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NYC-Dublin real-time video portal reopens with some fixes to prevent inappropriate behavior
When putting a video portal in a public park in the middle of New York City, some inappropriate behavior will likely occur. The Portal, the vision of Lithuanian artist and entrepreneur Benediktas Gylys, was designed to bring people together and let them share common experiences. After it opened earlier this month, the vast majority of…
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VinFast crash that killed family of four now under federal investigation
The top vehicle safety regulator in the U.S. has launched a formal probe into an April crash involving the all-electric VinFast VF8 SUV that claimed the lives of a family of four, TechCrunch has learned. The crash happened in Pleasanton, California at about 9 p.m. on April 24. Police told local news outlets at the…
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These 81 robotics companies are hiring
When I attended Automate in Chicago a few weeks back, multiple people thanked me for TechCrunch’s semi-regular robotics job report. It’s always edifying to get that feedback in person. While it’s true that the industry has seen ups and downs in terms of both funding and hiring in recent years, there’s never been a more…
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TechCrunch Space: Star(side)liner
Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch Space. For those who haven’t heard, the first crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner capsule has been pushed back yet again to no earlier than May 25. From NASA: “The additional time allows teams to further assess a small helium leak in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft’s service module traced to…
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Microsoft wants to make Windows an AI operating system, launches Copilot+ PCs
Copilot, Microsoft’s brand of generative AI, will soon be far more deeply integrated into the Windows 11 experience. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. Microsoft wants to bring generative AI to the forefront of Windows — and the PCs running it. At a keynote ahead of its annual Build developer…
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ETF Partners raises €284M for climate startups that will be effective quickly — not 20 years down the road
The European venture capital firm raised its fourth fund as fund as climate tech “comes of age.” © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. While many climate investors focus their efforts on breakthrough, deep-tech solutions, Patrick Sheehan at ETF Partners has other ideas. “I’ve actually got nothing against carbon capture and…
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Aurora and Volvo unveil self-driving truck designed for a driverless future
A new self-driving truck — manufactured by Volvo and loaded with autonomous vehicle tech developed by Aurora Innovation — could be on public highways as early as this summer. The Volvo VNL Autonomous truck, which was revealed Monday evening at the ACT Expo in Las Vegas, is the product of a partnership between Aurora and…