From TechCrunch · 40 stories
Etched's Valuation Doubles to $21 Billion After Raising $700 Million Led by Jane Street
AI hardware startup Etched secured an additional $700 million in funding, bringing its valuation to $21 billion, led by Jane Street. This rapid increase in valuation, doubling in one month, is driven by investor interest in Etched's specialized hardware for AI inference, which promises higher speeds and lower costs.
Anthro Energy Breaks Ground on Kentucky Factory for EV Battery Materials
Anthro Energy has started construction on a factory in Louisville, Kentucky, capable of producing 25 gigawatt-hours of battery electrolytes annually, enough for over 300,000 electric vehicles. This facility aims to provide a domestic, China-free source of battery materials, supporting the U.S. battery supply chain and potentially advancing solid-state battery development.
Reach Capital Closes $265 Million Fund V for AI Startups in Learning, Health, and Work
Reach Capital, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm, has closed its fifth fund, Fund V, with $265 million to invest in AI applications focused on learning, health, and work. This funding round highlights the continued investor interest in specialized VC firms within a challenging fundraising market.
Einride to acquire 500 Tesla Semis, expanding electric trucking fleet and North American presence
Einride, an electric and autonomous trucking company, announced plans to purchase 500 Tesla Semis to be integrated into its fleet over the next two years, starting in September. This acquisition will triple Einride's current fleet size and enable the company to expand its electric freight network in key North American corridors, managed through its Saga AI platform.
Higgsfield Raises $400M Series B, Valuing AI Video Platform at $5.4B
Higgsfield, an AI image and video creation platform, secured $400 million in Series B funding, increasing its valuation to $5.4 billion just eight months after its previous round. This capital will support hiring, product development, and the significant compute resources required for AI video processing, as the company expands its enterprise adoption.
Terra Industries Closes $52M Seed Round for Defense Infrastructure in Global South
African defense tech company Terra Industries secured an additional $18 million, bringing its seed funding round to a total of $52 million. This funding will support the company's expansion of manufacturing, product deployment, and establishment of new offices to build defense infrastructure in the Global South.
Wispr raises $280M Series B at $2B valuation, expands AI tools beyond dictation
Wispr, an AI dictation tool provider, secured $280 million in Series B funding, valuing the company at $2 billion. This funding will support the company's expansion into new areas like meeting note-taking and the launch of a new AI model to improve speech understanding, addressing recent quality concerns.
Kog Develops Software to Accelerate LLM Inference on Existing GPUs
French startup Kog is developing software to significantly speed up large language model (LLM) inference on standard data center GPUs like AMD MI300X and NVIDIA H200. This initiative aims to address the bottleneck of inference speed and cost, potentially unlocking new capabilities on current hardware for professional AI workflows.
US Courts to Publicly Report Spyware and Hacking Tool Authorizations Starting 2029
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts will begin publicly disclosing the number of judicial authorizations for wiretaps conducted using hacking tools and spyware, starting with the 2028 Wiretap Report published in 2029. This change will provide public data on the government's use of network investigative techniques (NITs) for real-time communication surveillance, which has previously been unreported.
IBM Partners with OpenAI to Integrate AI Models into Enterprise Consulting Services
IBM announced a partnership with OpenAI to bring OpenAI's models and tools to enterprise customers through IBM Consulting. This collaboration aims to expand OpenAI's reach into large companies and bolster IBM's AI business by integrating third-party AI offerings.
Northrop Grumman's MEV Detaches from Optus Satellite, MRV to Provide Future Servicing
Northrop Grumman's Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) has detached from an Optus communications satellite after over a year of service, making way for a new generation of robotic servicing spacecraft. This transition marks an evolution in satellite life extension, moving from direct docking to robotic attachment of propulsion modules, which could extend the operational life of satellites and create a more sustainable space infrastructure.
Grubhub to Distribute $23.8 Million FTC Settlement to Over 640,000 Customers and Drivers
Grubhub is distributing $23.8 million to 640,038 customers and drivers as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The settlement addresses allegations that Grubhub misled drivers about earnings, restricted customer account access, and listed restaurants without permission.
Uber Freight Investigates Data Breach Claimed by Helix Hacking Group
The Helix hacking group claims responsibility for a data breach at Uber Freight, Uber's logistics subsidiary, stating they exfiltrated mailboxes, cloud storage, and financial documents. Uber Freight reports no impact on business operations, but the incident highlights the ongoing threat from groups like Helix, which Google tracks as UNC6671 and notes has collected over $10 million in ransoms this year.
Tesla plans $10.1 billion solar panel factory in Texas, seeking tax incentives
Tesla has filed documents to build a $10.1 billion solar panel factory, named Project Crystal Sun, southwest of Houston, Texas. The company is seeking tax incentives for the project, which is expected to create 9,700 jobs and begin production in 2029, contributing to Tesla's goal of 100 gigawatts of U.S. manufacturing capacity by 2028.
Form Energy raises $750M to expand 100-hour iron-air battery manufacturing
Form Energy secured $750 million in funding to scale up production of its iron-air batteries in West Virginia. This investment addresses the growing demand for long-duration energy storage, particularly driven by the expansion of AI data centers and the need to integrate renewable energy sources into the grid.
VideoVerse $250M acquisition by Minute Media collapses amid fraud allegations
The $250 million acquisition of Indian startup VideoVerse by Minute Media, announced in September 2025, has unraveled less than a year later. Multiple legal cases allege fraud, forged signatures, and misrepresentation by VideoVerse's founder, Vinayak Shrivastav, leading Minute Media to terminate its engagement.
Blacksmith raises $45M Series B, valuing AI code-testing startup at $550M
Blacksmith, an AI code-testing startup, secured $45 million in Series B funding, increasing its valuation to $550 million from $60 million less than a year ago. This funding round addresses the growing need for efficient code validation as AI tools accelerate code generation, creating a bottleneck in testing.
Yulu Raises $93M to Expand E-Bike Fleet for India's Quick-Commerce Delivery Market
Indian electric mobility startup Yulu secured $93 million in Series C funding to expand its fleet of electric two-wheelers from 50,000 to 200,000 bikes over the next two years. This funding will support the growing demand for e-bikes from quick-commerce delivery drivers in India, allowing Yulu to introduce faster electric two-wheelers for new logistics use cases.
Accel closes oversubscribed $550M India fund, 19 months after previous fund
Accel has closed a new $550 million India-focused fund, part of a $3.5 billion global fundraising effort, less than two years after its last India fund. This new capital will support investments in India's startup ecosystem, focusing on AI applications, consumer internet, fintech, and advanced manufacturing.
Scaleup Europe Fund, a $5.7B public-private fund, backs satellite company ICEYE
The European Commission announced the Scaleup Europe Fund is operational, with its first investment co-leading the Series F round for Finnish satellite intelligence company ICEYE. This $5.7 billion fund aims to deploy capital into growth-stage European startups in strategic sectors to foster competitiveness and tech sovereignty within Europe.
Kyoto Fusioneering to build prototype fusion fuel breeding device at Oak Ridge National Lab
Kyoto Fusioneering, a Japanese fusion power startup, will build a prototype fuel breeding device called Unity-3 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) after receiving grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and the state of Tennessee. This development is significant because breeding blankets are crucial for generating fresh fusion fuel and harvesting energy, addressing a key challenge in making fusion reactors self-sufficient and economically viable.
FBI Investigates North Korean IT Worker Hired by U.S. Federal Agency
The FBI is investigating how a North Korean national was hired to work for an unnamed U.S. federal government agency, a rare confirmed instance of a sanctioned individual gaining such employment. This incident highlights the ongoing risk of North Korean IT workers fraudulently obtaining remote positions to funnel funds to the regime and potentially steal intellectual property.
Sergey Brin Donates $20 Million More to Oppose California's Billionaire Tax, Totaling Over $100 Million
Google co-founder Sergey Brin has contributed an additional $20 million to Build a Better California, an organization campaigning against California's proposed Prop 40 billionaire tax, bringing his total spending to over $100 million. This tax would impose a one-time 5% levy on the net worth of approximately 200 billionaires in the state, with proceeds primarily funding healthcare programs.
Sila Secures $1.4 Billion Pentagon Loan for Silicon-Carbon Battery Material Expansion
Sila, a U.S.-based startup, received a $1.4 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Defense to expand production of its silicon-carbon battery material. This funding aims to reduce reliance on Chinese-dominated graphite anode supply chains and support domestic battery material manufacturing for defense and automotive sectors.
Klaviyo inadvertently shared customer sign-up passwords with advertisers due to misconfiguration
Marketing platform Klaviyo inadvertently exposed new customer sign-up information, including passwords, to third-party advertisers due to a web form misconfiguration. This issue, active from at least February 2024 to November 2025, highlights risks associated with third-party website trackers and misconfigured pixels.
New Adversarial Pattern Blocks Surveillance Camera Detection
Bill Swearingen developed a computer-generated pattern, named noRecognition, that prevents common license plate readers and surveillance cameras from detecting objects or people it covers. This technology allows individuals to avoid automatic detection by algorithmic surveillance systems, offering a method to opt-out of tracking.
OpenAI acquires presentation startup NextSlide, integrating its team into ChatGPT development
OpenAI has acquired NextSlide, a startup that developed AI-powered presentation generation from prompts and documents. The NextSlide team will now work on ChatGPT, focusing on AI products that assist with creation and communication.
Google revamps its hacking group naming system for clarity and consistency
Google has updated its system for naming hacking groups, moving away from numerical APT designations to a new two-word format that includes a country-of-origin indicator. This change aims to improve clarity and consistency for security researchers tracking the increasing number of threat actors.
Polish security researchers find thousands of public entities vulnerable to cyberattacks
Two Polish security researchers identified over 10,000 public entities with 250,000 websites containing security flaws, including critical infrastructure like airports, hospitals, and government offices. This discovery highlights significant cybersecurity weaknesses in Poland's public sector, particularly concerning given recent suspected Russian cyberattacks targeting the country.
Google Reports Vishing Attacks Targeting Financial Firms for Data Extortion
Google security researchers identified multiple hacking groups using vishing (voice phishing) to compromise U.S. financial and investment firms, aiming to steal sensitive data for extortion. These groups, potentially part of a larger collective, trick employees into providing credentials and multi-factor codes over the phone, highlighting the continued effectiveness of social engineering tactics.
LightSpy Spyware Expands Global Reach, Targets 13 Countries Including US
The China-linked LightSpy spyware, previously identified in 2018, has expanded its targeting to include victims in 13 countries, including the US and European nations. This modular spyware platform now features new capabilities for data exfiltration and remote device wiping, and has been observed infecting routers, including some in NATO member countries.
Tinder and Bumble Shift Focus to In-Person Events Amidst Gen Z Preference for Real-World Connections
Tinder is expanding its in-person events to 26 cities by September and 75 cities by the end of 2026, while Bumble is emphasizing group interactions through its new app, Plans, and future updates. This shift by major dating apps responds to Gen Z users' preference for real-world connections over traditional online dating, as indicated by internal research and declining user engagement for Tinder.
Naïve Raises $28.5M Series A to Automate Company Setup and Operations with AI
Naïve, a startup providing infrastructure for AI agents to automate business operations, secured $28.5 million in Series A funding led by Nexus Venture Partners. The company's platform allows AI agents to handle tasks like company incorporation, setting up email, virtual cards, and integrating with services like Stripe and QuickBooks, aiming to reduce the manual effort in running a business.
Omilia Raises $67 Million Series B for AI Customer Support Platform
Omilia, a company specializing in AI-driven customer support since 2002, secured $67 million in Series B funding led by Expedition Growth Capital. This investment will support the expansion of its self-learning agents across various customer contact points, emphasizing efficient solutions over extensive large language model deployment for basic queries.
Moove Raises $250M Series C at $2.1B Valuation to Scale Autonomous Vehicle Fleet Management
Moove, a company that started in vehicle financing and human-driven ride-hailing, secured $250 million in Series C funding, valuing it at $2.1 billion. This funding will be used to expand its autonomous vehicle fleet management operations, building on its existing partnerships with AV developers like Waymo.
Lightspeed Hires Social Media Creator Claire Zau to Source Deals and Co-Host Podcast
Lightspeed Venture Partners hired seed investor and tech content creator Claire Zau, known for over 100,000 TikTok followers and 250,000 Instagram followers, to source deals and co-host their new show, Lightwork, with CMO Josh Machiz. This move reflects a trend among venture capital firms to engage creators to build trust with founders and connect with new audiences.
Klaviyo acquires AI customer success startup Agency; founder Elias Torres joins as CPO
Klaviyo, an e-commerce marketing automation platform, acquired Agency, an AI-powered customer success startup. Agency founder Elias Torres will become Klaviyo's chief product officer, leading his team to integrate Agency's technology with Klaviyo's existing AI agents for marketing campaigns and post-sale support.
Lucid Motors Delays Affordable EV, Announces $1.4 Billion in Cash Reductions
Lucid Motors has delayed the launch of its mid-sized electric vehicle, the Cosmos, until the second half of 2027, a year later than previously planned. This decision is part of an "operational reset" led by new CEO Silvio Napoli, which includes $1.4 billion in cash reductions and a focus on quality and execution.
Startup Battlefield Australia Application Deadline Extended to July 20
TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield Australia, originally scheduled to close applications on July 6, has extended its deadline to July 20 due to high demand. This event will allow eight selected Australian startups to pitch at Stripe Tour Sydney on August 19, with awards including entry to TechCrunch Disrupt. A past edition of the competition led to startups raising significant funds.
Appeals Court Rules Trump EPA Illegally Canceled $20B in Climate Funds
An appeals court ruled that the Trump administration's EPA unlawfully terminated and clawed back $20 billion in climate funds already disbursed to nonprofits. This decision allows the groups to regain access to the funding, which was appropriated by the Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy development.