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Explore AI Trends at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, the AI Stage is back to dig into the single hottest topic in the community for the past few years, presented by Google for Startups.
Melinda Gates Backs Magnify Ventures' $46.6M AI Fund
Early-stage firm Magnify Ventures has raised a $46.6 million Fund II from LPs, including Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures.
Thiel Capital's Jack Selby Invests in AI Startups via Arizona Connecti
Selby's VC firm, Copper Sky Capital, is currently raising a $300 million second fund, according to a regulatory filing.
Last Chance: Apply for Startup Battlefield Australia by July 6
If you're going to apply for Startup Battlefield Australia, now is the time. Applications close July 6, and once the deadline passes, the opportunity is gone.
Pocket Secures $11M for AI Note-Taking Device
Pocket sells a $129 credit card-shaped puck, which sticks to the back of your phone, and promises unlimited recordings, transcriptions, and to-do items.
Proception Settles Tesla Suit, Raises $11M for Robot Hand AI
The startup, Proception, is taking a unique approach to collecting training data to tackle one of the hardest problems in robotics: hands.
Arena AI Leaderboard: $100M Business Milestone
The startup, which runs a popular free AI leaderboard, launched its commercial service just last September.
Chamath Palihapitiya's AI Coding Startup Secures $135M
VCs remain thirsty to fund AI coding startups. This one, founded by investor Chamath Palihapitiya, is no exception.
Base44 Launches AI Model for Enhanced Coding Platform
Wix-owned vibe coding platform Base44 has started rolling out its own AI model — with hopes that it will eventually outperform frontier models.
Seedcamp Raises $320M to Expand US Footprint
After 18 years of focusing on Europe, early-stage investor Seedcamp said that it has raised $320 million for its latest fund, which will see it expanding its presence in the United States.
WhatsApp Names New Chief, Meta Invests $900M in CRED
WhatsApp gets a new boss, as Will Cathcart moves to a new role at Meta, while Shah steps down as CEO of Indian fintech giant CRED to replace Cathcart.
SpaceX IPO Raises $85.7 Billion
SpaceX's IPO underwriters maxed out their share purchases, adding to an already historic amount of money raised.
SpaceX IPO: Key Details and Implications
TechCrunch has followed SpaceX's start, struggles, and successes from the early days. And we're here for what happens next too. This package of SpaceX IPO coverage includes who stands to win (and maybe some who won't), pre-IPO deals, and what's tucked inside its S-1 registration document.
Niteshift Raises $7M for AI Coding, Challenges Big AI Lock-In
AI coding agent startup Niteshift has raised a $7 million seed round from a who's who of angels. It's betting companies will want power over, not lock-in with model makers.
AI Startups Encouraging Off-Screen Experiences
While the AI fundraising machine keeps breaking its own records, some founders are building in the other direction.  Mirror founder Brynn Putnam just raised money for Board, a startup focused on bringing people together through in-person games and social experiences. Cyberdeck creators are going viral crafting whimsical DIY computers that literally encourage users to touch grass. Unlike the AI-free browser crowd, this doesn’t just feel like backlash, […]
Lectric Expands with Three New Brands Amid E-Bike Market Growth
Lectric, which says the U.S. market is ripe for competition and choice, has launched three new brands in the past six months.
Startup Battlefield 200 Applications Close June 8
Applications for Startup Battlefield 200 officially close on June 8, 11:59 p.m. PT. Don't wait any longer. Secure your shot at competing on the Disrupt Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 this October at San Francisco's Moscone West.
Reid Hoffman Steps Down from Microsoft Board for AI Startup Manus
After a very profitable decade on Microsoft's board, Reid Hoffman is stepping down to focus on his AI drug discovery startup Manus.
Ramp's $750M Raise Boosts Valuation to $44B with AI Focus
Ramp has nearly tripled its valuation over the past year as investors scramble to grab a part of the fast-growing startup.
Poke Approved as First AI Agent on Apple Messages for Business
Poke, the startup that lets people use AI agents through simple text messages, has become the first AI agent approved for Apple’s Messages for Business platform.
Startup Battlefield Returns to Sydney with Stripe
On August 19, Startup Battlefield is returning to Sydney in partnership with Stripe, one of the world's most iconic technology companies. We're taking over Stripe Tour Sydney for a night that the Australian startup ecosystem won't forget.
Two Ex-Goldman, Meta Founders Build Voice AI for Africa, Middle East
The startup's own stack for Africa and Middle East is now handling more than 17,000 calls per day.
Defense Tech Startups: Who Will Survive the Funding Boom?
Defense tech is red hot right now. Anduril and Mach Industries just doubled and quadrupled their valuations, respectively, and the U.S. government is proposing a 40% increase in defense budget. A wave of new startups is chasing those government contracts, but according to Ross Fubini, the venture investor who wrote Anduril’s first check, most of them will get lost in the Valley of Death between prototype contract […]
Quick Commerce Startup FirstClub Valuation Doubles to $255M
The Bengaluru startup has crossed 1 million orders and reached a $50 million annualized GMV run rate within a year of launch.
Ex-Meta CTO Launches $250M Climate Fund with Gigascale Capital
Mike Schroepfer's Gigascale Capital has raised a large fund to back founders building climate-friendly solutions for the world's energy and material shortages.
Where Are Startup Battlefield Alumni Now? TechCrunch Check-In
We wanted to show you what happens after the confetti falls. We checked in with some of our recent alumni, many of whom have sat down with us on Build Mode: The Founder Survival Guide, TechCrunch's podcast for founders at every stage.
Mach Industries Valuation Soars to $1.8B with $300M Raise
In a wild ride for 22-year-old founder and CEO Ethan Thornton, Mach Industries has raised another $300 million. It already has five autonomous vehicles in development and completed a major acquisition.
How to Make the Startup Battlefield Top 20
Every founder who applies to Startup Battlefield wants the same thing: the Disrupt Main Stage. Here’s how to get there and why the opportunity starts well before the main stage.
How to Apply to Startup Battlefield 2026: June 8 Deadline
Startup Battlefield applications are due tomorrow, so now's the time to put the finishing touches on your submission!
TechCrunch Extends Startup Battlefield 200 Deadline to June 8
After overwhelming demand from founders around the world, TechCrunch has extended the Startup Battlefield 200 application deadline to June 8. Nominate a standout startup or apply yours today.
Launchpact.io: Revolutionizing AI Tools on Hacker News
Launchpact.io: Transforming AI Tools as Spotlighted on Hacker News Launchpact.io has carved a niche for itself in the tech arena, particularly gaining traction …
OpenRouter Valuation Soars to $1.3B with $113M Series B Funding
OpenRouter has raised a $113 million Series B led by CapitalG. Its 5x growth in usage over six months indicates the multi-AI-model future is here.
Startup Battlefield 2026 AI Applications Due Tomorrow
Startup Battlefield applications are due tomorrow, so now's the time to put the finishing touches on your submission!
WeRoad Secures $58M for US Expansion, Led by Airbnb
WeRoad, the Milan-based group travel startup, has raised a $58 million Series C round led by Airbnb as it prepares for its first major expansion outside Europe. The funding brings the company’s total capital raised to roughly $100 million and will finance WeRoad’s push into the U.S., beginning with Austin. The new investment reflects a […]
Deep Fission's IPO: Nuclear Startup's Public Bid Raises Questions
Deep Fission is seeking an IPO that could raise $157 million, though investors may have trouble buying the nuclear startup's story.
Startup Battlefield 200 Applications Close May 27: Apply Now
The deadline to apply or nominate for Startup Battlefield 200 is May 27. This is your shot at VC access, global visibility, TechCrunch coverage, and $100,000. Apply now.
ClickUp's Mass Layoff: AI Agents to Replace Employees
The nine-year-old startup is replacing hundreds of employees with thousands of AI agents.
How AI Startups and VCs Inflate ARR Metrics
Some AI startups are stretching traditional revenue metrics when talking about progress publicly. And their investors are fully aware.
Maka Kids Raises $3M for Well-being Focused Streaming App
Maka Kids is building a streaming app for children ages zero to six featuring content designed for healthy development. The startup has now raised $3 million in seed funding to scale its platform.
Hark Raises $700M for Universal AI Interface and Multimodal Models
Hark expects to release its first multimodal models this summer, which it says will power a personal AI platform that works with existing products and services. The company expects to follow that with hardware devices built specifically for those systems.
Patina Raises $2M to Disrupt Fragrance Industry with AI
Fragrance tech company Patina announced Thursday a $2 million raise from investors, including Betaworks and True Ventures.
Global EV Market Growth Leaves US Behind
EV sales have surged worldwide in every region but the U.S., posing risks for legacy and startup automakers.
Microsoft Revives Carbon Removal Plans: Boost for CDR Startups
Microsoft is responsible for over 90% of the carbon-removal market, and reports suggested the company was pausing purchases entirely. This new deal should help assuage the fears of CDR startups.
Lucra Raises $20M for eSports Loyalty Platform Without AI Hype
Slapping “AI” on your startup’s pitch deck is basically table stakes right now. When a founder raised $20 million from Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest for an eSports gamification loyalty startup without those two letters in the spotlight, it got us wondering how the conversation even started — especially when ARK had already been burned by a company operating in the same space.  On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Julie […]
Sam Altman's OpenAI Offer to YC Startups
Altman offered to have OpenAI invest in every single startup in this Y Combinator class: tokens for equity.
Ocean's AI Email Security Raises $28M to Combat Phishing
Ocean, an agentic email security platform, claims its AI can thoroughly analyze the context of every incoming email to detect fraud and impersonation attempts.
Atech Raises $800K for Vibe Coding in Hardware with AI Tools
Hardware company Atech raised $800,000 in pre-seed funding, including from a16z’s scout fund, Sequoia Scout Fund, and Nordic Makers.
Rapido Secures $240M Funding at $3B Valuation
Rapido has driven its growth by enabling ride-hailing for lower-cost and more flexible modes of transport such as motorbikes and auto-rickshaws.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: 6 Stages, 250+ Tech Leaders
From October 13-15, TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will feature 200+ sessions across six stages, led by 250+ tech leaders shaping the industry today. Register now to save up to $410, plus 50% off a second pass.
Mind Robotics Secures $400M in Latest Funding Round
Mind Robotics, which was first revealed in late 2025, has now raised more than $1 billion to date.