July 4, 2025

The Download: India’s AI independence, and predicting future epidemics

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Inside India’s scramble for AI independence Despite its status as a global tech hub, India lags far behind the likes of the US and China when it comes to homegrown AI. That gap…

September 2023

Ransomware gang claims credit for Sabre data breach

September 6, 2023
Travel booking giant Sabre said it was investigating claims of a cyberattack after a tranche of files purportedly stolen from the company appeared on an extortion group’s leak site. “Sabre is aware of the claims of a data exfiltration made by the threat group and we are currently investigating to determine their validity,” Sabre spokesperson […]

5 neat AI startups from Y Combinator’s Winter 2023 batch

September 6, 2023
It’s that time of year again: the week when startups in Y Combinator’s latest batch present their products for media — and investor — scrutiny. Over the next two days, roughly 217 companies will present in total, a tad smaller than last winter’s 235-firm cohort as VC enthusiasm a slight slump. In the first half […]

Chris Lehane of Haun Ventures to dive into firm’s investing strategy and the web3 VC landscape at TechCrunch Disrupt

September 6, 2023
Chris Lehane, chief strategy officer at Haun Ventures, will bring his unique career experience and investing expertise to TechCrunch Disrupt 2023. Prior to joining the firm, Lehane was an executive at Airbnb. He also co-founded a strategic consultancy firm, Fabiani & Lehane, that advised political, corporate, technology, entertainment and professional sports clients. In the 1990s, […]

Twitter alternative T2 gets its own For You feed, but won’t force it as the default

September 6, 2023
The would-be Twitter rival T2 has already launched a number of features hoping to capture the attention of Twitter’s fleeing users, including built-in direct messages and a verification program that allowed Twitter users to import their legacy checkmark before it disappeared on the Elon Musk-owned app, which recently rebranded as X. Today, however, T2 is […]

Voiijer’s new app offers a social community for nature-lovers and explorers

September 6, 2023
Social media often disconnects people from the real world, keeping people inside scrolling feeds on their phones. A new social app Voiijer wants to do the opposite by connecting nature enthusiasts to the world’s wonders, where they can create community, share their adventures, document their discoveries, and collaborate with others on expeditions. Somewhat reminiscent of […]

OnePlus’ North American CEO is speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023

September 6, 2023
We’ve got one last addition to Thursday’s Hardware Stage, and it’s a good one. Robin Liu, OnePlus’ North American CEO, will round out the lineup. After a stint at Chinese TV manufacturer Skyworth, Liu joined OnePlus in 2018 to run the smartphone maker’s television and supply chain teams. The executive spent two years heading up […]