Can an ‘ethical’ spyware maker justify providing its tech to ICE?

Paragon, an Israeli spy ware corporate that says to perform as an “moral” surveillance supplier, confronted scrutiny when previous this yr Italy was caught using Paragon’s tools to undercover agent at the telephones of 2 newshounds. Paragon answered via cutting Italy off from its surveillance merchandise, changing into the primary spy ware corporate to ever … Read more

Sequoia bets on silence | TechCrunch

There’s a time-honored disaster control technique, in which one says not anything and waits for the outrage to move. For Sequoia Capital, the method labored lovely smartly this week. Whilst spouse Shaun Maguire first of all weathered criticism over an inflammatory social media put up, that preliminary indignation cooled briefly. Now, some appear to suppose … Read more

YC-backed Apolink by 19-year-old bags $4.3M to build 24/7 connectivity for LEO satellites

Apolink, a Y Combinator-backed space-tech startup based by way of a 19-year-old Indian-origin entrepreneur, has raised $4.3 million in an “oversubscribed” seed spherical at a $45 million post-money valuation to construct a real-time connectivity community for satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). The startup is tackling a chronic drawback in area communications. Satellites incessantly cross … Read more

Elon Musk’s xAI launches Grok 4 alongside a $300 monthly subscription

Elon Musk’s AI corporate, xAI, past due on Wednesday launched its newest flagship AI style, Grok 4, and unveiled a brand new $300-per-month AI subscription plan, SuperGrok Heavy. Grok is xAI’s resolution to fashions like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, and will analyze pictures and reply to questions. In contemporary months, Grok has develop into extra deeply built-in … Read more

Moroccan founder raises $4.2M for her YC-backed startup building the next layer of AI search 

As generative AI reshapes industries, one among its maximum necessary but invisible demanding situations is retrieval, the method of fetching the appropriate information with related context from messy wisdom bases. Huge language fashions (LLMs) are simplest as correct as the ideas they are able to retrieve. That’s the place ZeroEntropy needs to make its mark. … Read more

Cursor apologizes for unclear pricing changes that upset users

The CEO of Anysphere, the corporate in the back of the preferred AI-powered coding setting Cursor, apologized Friday for a poorly communicated pricing alternate to its $20-per-month Professional plan. The adjustments ended in some customers complaining that they impulsively confronted further prices. “We acknowledge that we didn’t take care of this pricing rollout smartly and … Read more

At least 36 new tech unicorns were minted in 2025 so far

With AI igniting an investor frenzy, each month, extra startups download unicorn standing. The usage of information from Crunchbase and PitchBook, TechCrunch tracked down the VC-backed startups that turned into unicorns to this point this yr. Whilst maximum are AI-related, a shocking quantity are centered in different industries like satellite tv for pc house firms … Read more

Drive Capital’s second act –  how the Columbus venture firm found success after a split

The project capital global has all the time had a hot-and-cold dating with the Midwest. Buyers rush in throughout growth occasions, then retreat to the coasts when markets flip bitter. For Columbus, Ohio-based Drive Capital, this cycle of consideration and disinterest performed out towards the backdrop of its personal inside upheaval a number of years … Read more

TechCrunch Mobility: The state of EV sales and Rivian secures the next $1B from VW

Welcome again to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for information and insights on the way forward for transportation. Join right here totally free — simply click on TechCrunch Mobility! This week I’m publishing an abbreviated model of the e-newsletter on account of the 4th of July vacation. When you’re using, flying, or taking the … Read more