The 2026 Startup Battlefield 200 is here — see who made the cut
We’re thrilled to unveil the 2026 Startup Battlefield 200, our annual handpicked list of the 200 most promising early-stage startups from around the world.
Disney’s first CTO led an AI startup it once accused of copying its characters
The former CEO of Character.AI, which Disney previously sent a cease-and-desist letter to, will serve as the company’s first-ever chief technology officer.
Patreon launches 30 new creator features, including short-form Clips and revamped discovery
Patreon is overhauling how creators get discovered, adding short-form Clips, topic-based communities, and a revamped recommendation system designed to give smaller creators more visibility.
Inertia Enterprises finds a way to make its fusion fuel fast
Fusion power startup Inertia Enterprises reduced the fuel filling process from a week to just a few hours. It’s one of ten hurdles the company must overcome to make a profitable power plant.
There are less than 48 hours to save up to $300 on your TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 ticket
If you’ve been circling around Disrupt, then now’s the best time to lock in your pass and start getting ready to join the rest of the startup community gathering in San Francisco from October 13-15 at Moscone West!
He Was Driving a $40k Car But Didn’t Have $5 for McDonald’s. Now He Runs a Multi-Million-Dollar Business.
At age 14, he didn’t know what taxes were. Now he’s championing financial literacy.
This Ice Cream Brand Lost a $24 Million Lawsuit Over Copying a Rival’s Pastel Colors. It Just Filed for Bankruptcy.
A judge found Rebel copied Van Leeuwen’s packaging in “bad faith.” Rebel only had about $14 million in assets to cover the judgment.
This Skillet Company Has Been Owned by the Same Family for 130 Years: ‘We Want to Be That Indie Band Who Never Sells Out’
The Lodge family has kept their cast-iron dynasty in the family for six generations, but it hasn’t always been smooth cooking.
Apollo Atomics wants to make nuclear power cheaper by shrinking an overlooked part
Y Combinator alumnus Apollo Atomics is shrinking a key nuclear reactor part, which promises to slash the cost of electricity below natural gas.
This IHOP-Applebee’s Combo Restaurant Nearly Tripled Sales. Now the Company Wants 900 More of Them.
The dual-brand restaurant shares one entrance with separate seating zones for each restaurant.
AI data giant Alation confirms cyberattack
The data search and AI giant confirmed unauthorized access to its systems during an incident on Tuesday, and said it was investigating the breach.