Solo GP Ashley Smith announces second $25M fund to back startups in AI, security and more
Vermilion Cliffs Ventures announced Wednesday the close of a $25 million Fund II.
Disney’s first CTO led an AI startup it once accused of copying its characters
The former CEO of Character.AI, which Disney previously sent a cease-and-desist letter to, will serve as the company’s first-ever chief technology officer.
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Bath & Body Works Employs a Professional ‘Nose.’ Her Entire Job Is Finding the Next $1.5 Billion Scent.
Japanese Cherry Blossom made $1.5 billion over 20 years. Now the company’s chief “nose” is racing to find the next hit fragrance.
Apple to produce Made in America wireless chips with Broadcom
Apple has signed a $30 billion+ multiyear deal with Broadcom to design and produce more than 15 billion U.S.-made custom wireless connectivity chips for Apple products.
While Every Automaker Is Going Bigger and Pricier, Fiat Is Offering a $14,000 Electric Car that Goes 25 MPH Max
Fiat just launched a 1,000-pound electric car with no air conditioning, a top speed of 25 mph and ropes instead of doors.
Venus Aerospace raises $90M Series B to build a new kind of rocket engine
Build a new kind of rocket engine, and the world will beat a path to your door.
Blue Origin reportedly raising $10B at $130B valuation
Blue Origin is raising $10 billion at a $130 billion pre-money valuation from Coatue Asset Management, Bezos himself and other big-name investors, the New York Times reported.
Venus Williams-backed WeWard can now lock your apps until you hit your steps
With funding from tennis star and angel investor Venus Williams, the French app WeWard says that it increases walking time by almost 25%.
The Download: worms fight pollution, and geoengineering faces reality
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. Why worms (and microbes) are catching on as a manure pollution solution Anthony Agueda, a third-generation California dairy farmer, pulls a rake through a bed of dark, wet wood chips to…
Former OpenAI exec Kevin Weil is now on the board of Stoke Space
Kevin Weil’s new role at Stoke Space suggests reusable rockets are the next hot thing in Silicon Valley.
Is Your ‘Eco-friendly’ Paper Bag Actually Sustainable? No — and Here’s the Math to Prove It.
Is paper sustainable? A deep dive into lifecycle data reveals paper bags may be worse for the climate than plastic.