February 7, 2025

These documents are influencing the DOGE-sphere’s agenda

Reports from the US Government Accountability Office on improper federal payments in recent years are circulating on X and elsewhere online, and they seem to be a big influence on Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency and its supporters as the group pursues cost-cutting measures across the federal government.  The payment reports have been…

Technology

Lyft wants to reshape shared micromobility with dockable e-scooter

February 2, 2023

Lyft wants to see a more organized shared micromobility landscape, with fewer free-floating scooters and more dependable, docked vehicles. To help achieve this vision, the company revealed Thursday its next-generation dockable e-scooter and updated docking stations. While mainly a ride-hail operator, Lyft also provides docked bikeshare programs in eight cities across the U.S. Last year, […]

Lyft wants to reshape shared micromobility with dockable e-scooter by Rebecca Bellan originally published on TechCrunch

The Download: CRISPR crops, and busting renewables myths

February 2, 2023
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. How CRISPR could help save crops from devastation caused by pests For decades, the grape-growers of California have battled Pierce’s Disease, a nasty infection which causes vines to wither. The arrival of an…

As the bee population declines, this startup secures $8M to apply AI and EVs to pollination

February 2, 2023

Given our general reliance on something called “food” you’d think the issue of pollination – and its general decline – might be higher up the world’s agenda. Over 80% of crops require insect pollination, but growers can no longer rely on the dwindling wild bee population. But it’s a complex problem. Pollinating crops with honey […]

As the bee population declines, this startup secures $8M to apply AI and EVs to pollination by Mike Butcher originally published on TechCrunch

Samsung, Google and Qualcomm are making a mixed reality platform

February 2, 2023

Samsung, Google and Qualcomm are joining hands to make a mixed-reality platform. Executives from the companies, namely Samsung’s TM Roh, Qualcomm’s Cristiano Amon, and Google’s Hiroshi Lockheimer came on stage at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event to make this announcement. These companies only announced the partnership — they had no future device or hardware product […]

Samsung, Google and Qualcomm are making a mixed reality platform by Ivan Mehta originally published on TechCrunch

Busting three myths about materials and renewable energy

February 2, 2023
This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. No piece of media shaped me more than the mid-2000s TV show MythBusters.  In the show, a band of special-effects pros tested out myths from TV shows or popular knowledge, like: Can a…

How CRISPR could help save crops from devastation caused by pests

February 2, 2023
Central California grape-grower Steve McIntyre was familiar with Pierce’s Disease. But that did not prepare him for what he saw when he visited his brother’s Southern California citrus and avocado farm in 1998. The disease, which causes vines to wither and grapes to deflate like old balloons, had long existed in California. But the infection…

Seyna adds claim management product for insurance brokers

February 2, 2023

French startup Seyna is slowly building an all-in-one platform for insurance brokers so that they can create, sell and manage insurance products from scratch. And the company is launching a new product called Seyna Claims. As the name suggests, Seyna Claims empowers insurance brokers so that they can handle claims themselves. Seyna is an insurtech […]

Seyna adds claim management product for insurance brokers by Romain Dillet originally published on TechCrunch

Sequoia Capital India backs Freightify’s vertical SaaS platform for freight forwarders

February 2, 2023

For freight forwarders, procuring pricing data for their customers usually involves going to multiple sources, and then consolidating information into spreadsheets. That’s time-consuming and complicated, especially since pricing data constantly changes. Freightify wants to make the process as simple as comparing airfare with its vertical SaaS platform. The Singapore-based startup announced today it has raised […]

Sequoia Capital India backs Freightify’s vertical SaaS platform for freight forwarders by Catherine Shu originally published on TechCrunch

Nissan finally shows off the Max-Out EV convertible concept in IRL

February 2, 2023

Way back in November 2021, Nissan shared renderings of four electric vehicle concepts with intriguing names like Chill-Out, Surf-Out, Hang-Out and Max-Out as part of its announcement to invest $17.6 billion to develop new EVs and battery technology. Nissan has finally showed a physical version of one of those concepts — the Nissan Max-Out EV […]

Nissan finally shows off the Max-Out EV convertible concept in IRL by Kirsten Korosec originally published on TechCrunch