June 19, 2025

It’s pretty easy to get DeepSeek to talk dirty

AI companions like Replika are designed to engage in intimate exchanges, but people use general-purpose chatbots for sex talk too, despite their stricter content moderation policies. Now new research shows that not all chatbots are equally willing to talk dirty: DeepSeek is the easiest to convince. But other AI chatbots can be enticed too, if…

European smart thermostat startup Tado raises $46.9M after failed SPAC plan

January 26, 2023

Smart home energy startup Tado has raised €43 million ($46.9 million) in a round of funding led by Trill Impact Ventures, as the company pursues plans to become profitable in 2023. The raise comes a year after the German company announced plans to go public (“deSPAC”) via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), plans that […]

European smart thermostat startup Tado raises $46.9M after failed SPAC plan by Paul Sawers originally published on TechCrunch

Danish startup Kanpla wants to help canteens cut food waste

January 26, 2023

As much as 40% of all food produced each year goes nowhere near a human mouth, resulting in economic, environmental, and social costs of an estimated $2.6 trillion. While there are a multitude of social, cultural, and even technological reasons for these staggering statistics, we’ve seen a slew of startups emerge with propositions on how […]

Danish startup Kanpla wants to help canteens cut food waste by Paul Sawers originally published on TechCrunch

This startup hopes to take on Canva, raising a $11.6M Series A for its design platform

January 26, 2023

Despite Canva being worth in the region of $26 billion, it appears startups feel there is still plenty to be mined from this ;easy-to-use design platform’ arena. Admittedly, Professional Adobe tools remain fiddly for most people. Perhaps that’s why Berlin-based startup Kittl has now raised an €10.8 million ($11.6 million) Series A for its design […]

This startup hopes to take on Canva, raising a $11.6M Series A for its design platform by Mike Butcher originally published on TechCrunch

Angry Miao’s AM 65 Less is both more and less keyboard than you’ll ever need

January 26, 2023

Nobody is going to accuse Angry Miao of making boring keyboards (or earbuds). The company’s previous releases, The Cyberboard, Am Hatsu and Am AFA, are as overengineered as they are unique. When the company first started teasing its new 60% board, it almost looked too conventional to be an Angry Miao product, but keeping with […]

Angry Miao’s AM 65 Less is both more and less keyboard than you’ll ever need by Frederic Lardinois originally published on TechCrunch

Walmart readies another $2.5 billion investment in India’s e-commerce and payments

January 26, 2023

Walmart is preparing to spend over $2.5 billion in India as the retailer doubles down on the opportunities it sees in India’s e-commerce and payments markets even as the firm contends with rising costs amid the market downturns. Walmart spent about $780 million earlier this month to the Indian tax authorities after PhonePe, in which […]

Walmart readies another $2.5 billion investment in India’s e-commerce and payments by Manish Singh originally published on TechCrunch

Qiara is a new home security service for the French market

January 26, 2023

If you live in France and you want to add a security system to your home, you don’t have a ton of options. You can contact a home security company like Verisure and Homiris. But you’ll end up paying expensive subscription fees with long-term contracts. You can also buy your own security camera and connected […]

Qiara is a new home security service for the French market by Romain Dillet originally published on TechCrunch

“Most active investor” FJ Labs closes on $260M across two new funds

January 26, 2023

Fabrice Grinda says he never intended to run a venture firm. He just really (really) enjoyed angel investing. In fact, by late 2013, when he was on the verge of selling the global classifieds marketplace OLX — his third business — he says he had already written checks to more than 150 startups with his […]

“Most active investor” FJ Labs closes on $260M across two new funds by Connie Loizos originally published on TechCrunch

Getsafe expands to France starting with home insurance

January 26, 2023

German insurtech startup Getsafe is adding a fourth market with today’s product launch. In addition to Germany, Austria and the U.K., Getsafe is now going to offer insurance products in France. The company will first offer a home insurance product. Getsafe is trying to disrupt the insurance market with a focus on digital-first insurance products. […]

Getsafe expands to France starting with home insurance by Romain Dillet originally published on TechCrunch

Supernormal raises $10M to automatically transcribe and summarize meetings

January 26, 2023

Generative AI is the tech industry’s buzzword of the moment. It’s no wonder — the VC firm Sequoia not long ago predicted that generative AI, which comprises AI that can generate text, art and more from prompts, could yield trillions of dollars in economic value over the long run. Is that simply the optimistic musing […]

Supernormal raises $10M to automatically transcribe and summarize meetings by Kyle Wiggers originally published on TechCrunch