TechCrunch Startup News

Latest Episodes:

Peter Thiel’s big bet on solar-powered cow collars; plus, Anthropic buys biotech startup Coefficient Bio in $400M dea Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Why did Founders Fund invest $220 million in cattle management startup Halter?

Also, Anthropic has purchased the stealth biotech AI startup Coefficient Bio in a $400 million stock deal, according to The Information and Eric Newcomer.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Beehiiv expands into podcasting; also, Gateway Capital announces first close of $25M Fund II Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

One way Beehiiv is convincing creators to switch from rivals like Substack and Patreon is by not taking a cut of revenue.

Plus, Gateway Capital Partners, the venture firm founded by Dana Guthrie, announced the first close for its $25 million target Fund II earlier this week.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Commonwealth Fusion Systems leans on magnets for near-term revenue; plus the company behind ClassPass and Mindbody just got a lot bigger with a $7.5B merger Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

Realta Fusion is buying magnets from Commonwealth Fusion Systems, providing a revenue stopgap.

Also, the merger is a sign that the fitness industry is continuing to move toward consolidation to compete at a larger scale. Recent moves include MyFitnessPal acquiring Cal AI, an AI calorie counting app, and Strava buying two apps: cycling app The Breakaway and running app Runna.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Exclusive: Runway launches $10M funExclusive: Runway launches $10M fund, Builders program to support early-stage AI startupsd, Builders program to support early-stage AI startups Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

Runway is launching a $10 million fund and startup program to back companies building with its AI video models, as it pushes toward interactive, real-time “video intelligence” applications.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ScaleOps raises $130M to improve computing efficiency amid AI demand; Qodo raises $70M for code verification as AI coding scales Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

ScaleOps just raised $130M to tackle GPU shortages and soaring AI cloud costs by automating infrastructure in real time.

Plus, as AI floods software development with code, Qodo is betting the real challenge is making sure it actually works.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Defense startup Shield AI lands $12.7B valuation; plus, Aetherflux reportedly raising Series B at $2 billion valuation Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

In one year, Shield AI's value has leaped 140%. This after it won a contract to be the software provider to Anduril's Fury fighter jet for the U.S. Air Force.

Also, Index Ventures is said to be leading a $250 million to $350 million round.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conntour raises $7M to build an AI search engine for security video systems; plus, Lucid Bots raises $20M for its window-washing drones Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

Conntour uses AI models to let security teams query camera feeds using natural language to find any object, person, or situation.

Also, Lucid Bots has seen demand accelerate over the last year for its window cleaning drones and power washing robots.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Seattle's Brinc just launched a drone it says can replace police helicopters; Arinna raises $4M seed round to solve the space power problem Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

Brinc launched its newest 911 response drone this week, as the company seeks to expand its prominence in the public safety industry.

Also, Arinna builds solar cells specifically for spacecraft and has developed an ultrathin new material that it expects to be far more flexible and more efficient than current technology.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Startup Gimlet Labs is solving the AI inference bottleneck in a surprisingly elegant way; plus, Flighty gives you real-time alerts about airport disturbances Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Gimlet Labs just raised an $80 million Series A for tech that lets AI run across NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, ARM, Cerebras and d-Matrix chips, simultaneously.

Also, Flighty's new feature will give users real-time updates about why operations at an airport are disrupted.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sam Altman-backed fusion startup Helion in talks with OpenAI; plus, the SEC dropped its four-year-old investigation into EV startup Faraday Future Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

Helion is reportedly negotiating a deal that would see it sell 12.5% of its power output to OpenAI.

Also, after four years, and multiple subpoenas and depositions, the beleaguered EV startup, Faraday Futures, has dodged yet another bullet.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected