June 20, 2025

Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab closes on $2B at $10B valuation

Thinking Machines Lab, the secretive AI startup founded by OpenAI’s former chief technology officer Mira Murati, has closed a $2 billion seed round at a $10 billion valuation.

Southeast Asia farm-to-table startup Secai Marche raises Series A

January 31, 2023

Secai Marche, a farm-to-table fulfillment platform serving farmers in Japan and Southeast Asia, announced today it has raised 210 million Japanese yen (about $1.6 million USD) in Series A funding. The round included participation from venture capital firm The Agribusiness Investment and Consultation Co., Spiral Ventures Asia Fund I and Beyond Next Ventures. This brings […]

Southeast Asia farm-to-table startup Secai Marche raises Series A by Catherine Shu originally published on TechCrunch

Labor officials found that Apple execs infringed on workers’ rights

January 31, 2023

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found merit to complaints that high-level executives at Apple violated national labor law. This finding comes after the NLRB also found that Apple illegally interfered with labor organizing at retail stores in New York City and Atlanta. These charges were filed by Ashley Gjøvik, a former senior engineer program […]

Labor officials found that Apple execs infringed on workers’ rights by Amanda Silberling originally published on TechCrunch

Hotai Motor exposed thousands of iRent customer documents

January 31, 2023

Taiwanese automotive conglomerate Hotai Motor exposed reams of personal customer data from its car rental and carshare unit, iRent, until a security researcher found the data online last week. Even then, it took the company a week — and the intervention of the Taiwanese government — to act. Hotai Motor is one of the largest […]

Hotai Motor exposed thousands of iRent customer documents by Zack Whittaker originally published on TechCrunch

Put a (smart) ring on it: Monavo on why its health wearable will put women first

January 31, 2023

Monavo Heath turned heads at CES with an Ouroubouros-esque smart ring designed for women. In the crowded field of fitness wearables, where the mainstream heavy hitter of the Apple Watch heads up a very long tail of typically less pricey and/or more specialist activity tracking bracelets and bands all keen to claim their own patch […]

Put a (smart) ring on it: Monavo on why its health wearable will put women first by Natasha Lomas originally published on TechCrunch

AV company Aurora hires president ahead of commercial launch

January 31, 2023

Aurora Innovation said Monday it has hired Ossa Fisher as president as the autonomous vehicle company prepares to commercially launch its self-driving trucks business next year. The company said Fisher, who was most recently president and chief operating officer of education tech company Istation, will be based in Dallas. Aurora is headquartered in Pittsburgh and […]

AV company Aurora hires president ahead of commercial launch by Kirsten Korosec originally published on TechCrunch

Russia is blocking encrypted email startup Skiff

January 30, 2023

The Russian government has blocked another encrypted email provider, according to a Russian digital rights organization and the email provider. Last Wednesday, Roskomsvoboda, which describes itself as “the first Russian public organization active in the field of protecting digital rights and expanding digital opportunities,” reported that an unknown Russian state organization ordered the block of […]

Russia is blocking encrypted email startup Skiff by Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai originally published on TechCrunch