July 9, 2025

The Download: a conversation with Karen Hao, and how did life begin?

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 OpenAI’s empire: A conversation with Karen Hao In a wide-ranging Roundtables conversation for MIT Technology Review subscribers, journalist and author Karen Hao recently spoke about her new book, Empire of AI: Dreams…

Vue snaps up $20M to grow its open-source based ‘frontend-as-a-service’ e-commerce toolkit and platform

March 23, 2023

The current slowdown in e-commerce growth, and in some pockets straight declines in spend, might not seem like the most opportune time to build an e-commerce tooling startup — let alone invest in one. But a startup out of Poland with a platform for front-end developers to build composable e-commerce sites has just raised $20 […]

Vue snaps up $20M to grow its open-source based ‘frontend-as-a-service’ e-commerce toolkit and platform by Ingrid Lunden originally published on TechCrunch

IntegrityNext raises $109M for a platform to audit supply chains for ESG compliance

March 23, 2023

The funding landscape remains very tough for technology startups, but there are still some pockets, and specific companies, driving a lot of interest right now among investors because they look like they’ll break through whatever current macroeconomic trends that are gripping the world. Today, a startup out of Munich called IntegrityNext announced that it has […]

IntegrityNext raises $109M for a platform to audit supply chains for ESG compliance by Ingrid Lunden originally published on TechCrunch

India government-backed open e-commerce network expands to mobility

March 23, 2023

Open Network for Digital Commerce, the Indian government-backed initiative that is attempting to “democratize” e-commerce, has set its eyes on another industry it would like to disrupt. ONDC, a nonprofit firm set up by India’s commerce ministry in 2021, will open up its railroads to serve mobility firms, it said at a press conference in […]

India government-backed open e-commerce network expands to mobility by Manish Singh originally published on TechCrunch

Ex-Flipkart exec’s Flash app wants to be an inbox for your e-commerce needs

March 23, 2023

Email inboxes are tricky tools because over time they become hard to manage and users have to spend a lot of time searching for what they are trying to find. And if you have been using one email address everywhere, it’s also painful to change that at a later stage. Email tools often fail to […]

Ex-Flipkart exec’s Flash app wants to be an inbox for your e-commerce needs by Ivan Mehta originally published on TechCrunch

Canva unveils a series of new features, including several AI-powered tools

March 23, 2023

Canva is introducing a series of new features, including a suite of AI-powered tools, and a new Brand Hub. The company unveiled the new features and tools during its Canva Create virtual event today. The company is launching Assistant, which lets users search for design elements, provides quick access to features. The tool can also […]

Canva unveils a series of new features, including several AI-powered tools by Aisha Malik originally published on TechCrunch

Lun is in a mad rush to help heat-pump installers decarbonize homes

March 23, 2023

Lun, a climate tech startup out of Denmark, is on a mission to help homes decarbonize fast — starting with heating systems and swapping out boilers for electric heat pumps. What are heat pumps? The technology is a low carbon form of heating which is based on the principle of refrigeration that offers an alternative […]

Lun is in a mad rush to help heat-pump installers decarbonize homes by Natasha Lomas originally published on TechCrunch

WhatsApp introduces a new Windows client with better calling features

March 23, 2023

WhatsApp announced a new Windows client today with performance improvements and better calling features. The new version also supports multi-device sync so you can use WhatsApp even if your phone is switched off. Mark Zuckerberg posted on his Instagram Channel about the announcement saying that the new Windows app enables end-to-end encrypted group calling. The […]

WhatsApp introduces a new Windows client with better calling features by Ivan Mehta originally published on TechCrunch

Roofstock, valued at $1.9B last year, cuts 27% of staff in second round of layoffs

March 23, 2023

Proptech company Roofstock has laid off about 27% of its staff today, according to an email sent to employees viewed by TechCrunch. The cuts come just five months after the startup laid off 20% of its workforce. The company’s website states that it has 400+ employees, or “Roofsters” as they’re dubbed, but it is not […]

Roofstock, valued at $1.9B last year, cuts 27% of staff in second round of layoffs by Mary Ann Azevedo originally published on TechCrunch

Temasek’s Sheares Healthcare backs Asia-focused mental health startup Thoughtfull

March 23, 2023

Southeast Asia’s mental health startups are getting more investor attention. Last week, Intellect announced a strategic investment from IHH Healthcare, Asia’s largest private healthcare group. Now Thoughtfull, another digital mental health platform focused on Asia, has raised $4 million in a pre-Series A round led by Sheares Healthcare Group. Sheares is a wholly-owned subsidiary of […]

Temasek’s Sheares Healthcare backs Asia-focused mental health startup Thoughtfull by Catherine Shu originally published on TechCrunch