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…

Equator secures $40M in commitments for fund targeting climate tech startups in Africa

April 5, 2023

Africa contributes less than 3% of the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide emissions but the continent will be one of the most impacted by the adverse effects of climate change. Some explanations for Africa’s vulnerability include poor diffusion of technologies and information relevant to supporting adaptation, usually provided by clean or climate tech companies. Despite the […]

Equator secures $40M in commitments for fund targeting climate tech startups in Africa by Tage Kene-Okafor originally published on TechCrunch

Snapchat adds new safeguards around its AI chatbot

April 5, 2023

Snapchat is launching new tools including an age-appropriate filter and insights for parents to make its AI chatbot experience safer. Days after Snapchat launched its GPT-powered chatbot for Snapchat+ subscribers, a Washington Post report highlighted that the bot was responding in an unsafe and inappropriate manner. The social giant said that after the launch it […]

Snapchat adds new safeguards around its AI chatbot by Ivan Mehta originally published on TechCrunch

Morgan Stanley, BP Ventures back Indian e-mobility startup Magenta Mobility

April 5, 2023

Indian electric mobility startup Magenta Mobility has closed a $22 million Series A1 round, backed by $11 million each from Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure and BP Ventures. Magenta will use the all-equity investment to boost its existing logistics and last-mile delivery fleet operations. The Navi Mumbai-headquartered startup has a fleet of 800 three-wheeled electric cargo […]

Morgan Stanley, BP Ventures back Indian e-mobility startup Magenta Mobility by Jagmeet Singh originally published on TechCrunch

Kobo Plus subscription plans are now available in the U.S.

April 5, 2023

Kobo is launching its Kobo Plus subscription plan in the U.S. today. The plan starts at $7.99 per month and gives users access to 1.3 million books (but not all titles) from Kobo’s library. This new subscription will be a rival to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited plan, which costs $9.99 per month. Amazon also offers a […]

Kobo Plus subscription plans are now available in the U.S. by Ivan Mehta originally published on TechCrunch

Apple readies opening of its first retail store in India

April 5, 2023

Apple is gearing up to open its first retail store in India to the public later this month, roughly two decades after the company began selling products and services in the South Asian nation that has grown to become the second largest internet market. The iPhone-maker on Wednesday shared the barricade of its first retail […]

Apple readies opening of its first retail store in India by Manish Singh originally published on TechCrunch

Ronbow nabs $10M to deliver custom cabinets in as short as 3 weeks

April 5, 2023

If you ever renovate a house, you know the ordeal of getting custom-made cabinets, a costly and lengthy process that involves rounds of back-and-forth with dealers and designers and could take up to half a year to complete. Now a startup called Ronbow based out of California wants to shorten the delivery time and reduce […]

Ronbow nabs $10M to deliver custom cabinets in as short as 3 weeks by Rita Liao originally published on TechCrunch

Launch startup Stoke Space rolls out software tool for complex hardware development

April 5, 2023

Stoke Space, a company that’s developing a fully reusable rocket, has unveiled a new tool to let hardware companies track the design, testing and integration of parts. The new tool, Fusion, is targeting an unsexy but essential aspect of the hardware workflow. It’s a solution born out of “ubiquitous pain in the industry,” Stoke CEO […]

Launch startup Stoke Space rolls out software tool for complex hardware development by Aria Alamalhodaei originally published on TechCrunch