TechCrunch Startup News

Latest Episodes:

SAP agrees to buy Qualtrics for $8B in cash, just before the survey software company’s IPO Nov 13, 2018

Show notes

SAP agrees to buy Qualtrics for $8B in cash, just before the survey software company’s IPO Enterprise software giant SAP announced today that it has agreed to acquire Qualtrics for $8 billion in cash, just before the survey and research software company was set to go public. The deal is expected to be completed in the first half of 2019. Qualtrics last round of venture capital funding in 2016 raised $180 million at a $2.5 billion valuation.

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

A tale of two scooter cities Nov 12, 2018

Show notes

The kids in Madrid’s El Retiro Park are loving their new on-demand joyriding toys. Lime launched its scooters in the Spanish capital this summer. Spending a weekend in the city center last month the craze was impossible to miss. Scooters parked in clusters vying for pay-to-play time. Sometimes lined up tidily. All too often not. The bright Lime rides really stood out, though it’s not the only brand in town.

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

Pure Bit, a South Korean exchange, pulls a $2.8 million exit scam Nov 12, 2018

Show notes

Another day, another exit scam. This time it comes to us from South Korea where an exchange, Pure Bit, has completely shut down after raising $2.8 million in Ethereum from investors. The exchange, which promised to deliver something call Pure Coin, was live yesterday and today is completely shut down after posting “Sorry” and “Thanks” to their communications channels.

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

Olho do Dono is the winner of Startup Battlefield Latin America Nov 09, 2018

Show notes

Fifteen startups have spent the day presenting on-stage in Sao Paulo, Brazil. For the finalists, that meant presenting twice — once in the initial rounds, then again for our finalist judges. This was all part of Startup Battlefield Latin America, an event that we put on in partnership with Facebook’s FB Start program.

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

The scooters arrive in Australia Nov 09, 2018

Show notes

The scooter startups are taking over the world — or trying to. Earlier this week, Bird debuted its electric scooters in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park; today, Lime is announcing its foray into the land down under with the launch of a three-month scooter pilot atMonash University in Melbourne, Australia. Lime has also released several hundred of its dockless electric bikes in Sydney and plans to introduce its scooters there, aswell as in Brisbane, soon.

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

The disappearing Form D Nov 08, 2018

Show notes

We are experimenting with new content forms at TechCrunch. This is a rough draft of something new – provide your feedback directly to the authors: Danny at danny@techcrunch.com or Arman at Arman.Tabatabai@techcrunch.com if you like or hate something here. Ignoring the midterm hysteria, we continue our obsession with SoftBank today by looking at the group’s IPO of its telecom unit, but first, some thoughts about Form Ds.

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

Automakers invest in Transit, the app that helps people get around without a car Nov 07, 2018

Show notes

Automakers invest in Transit, the app that helps people get around without a car Transit, a company that built a mobile app designed to help people in cities live without cars, has raised $17.5 million from two automakers in a Series B round. The round wasled by RenaultNissan-Mitsubishi’s joint investment arm Alliance Ventures.InMotion Ventures, Jaguar Land Rover’s venture capital fund, also joined the round, as well as two past investors, Accel and Real Ventures.

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

Men’s wellness startup HIMS has launched a line of women’s health products called HERS Nov 05, 2018

Show notes

Exactly one year to the day since it launchedits line of men’s health products, HIMS is announcing its foray into women’s wellness. The company is using its mountain of venture capital to support the new brand, called HERS. In September, HIMS raised another $50 million in a round led by IVP. The financing valued the startup, which has brought in $97 million to date, at $500 million, according to PitchBook.

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

VICIS completes $28.5M Series B and launches its first youth helmet Nov 02, 2018

Show notes

VICIS has closed its Series B on $28.5 million, with participation from NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers via Rx3 Ventures. Rodgers joins a list of other pro footballers to back the helmet startup, includingRogerStaubach, JerryRice, Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin. VICIS is known for its $950 Zero1 football helmet designed for adult players.

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

Brex has partnered with WeWork, AWS and more for its new rewards program Nov 01, 2018

Show notes

Brex, the corporate card built for startups, unveiled its new rewards program today. The billion-dollar company, which announced its $125 million Series C three weeks ago, has partnered with Amazon Web Services, WeWork, Instacart, Google Ads, SendGrid, Salesforce Essentials, Twilio, Zendesk, Caviar, HubSpot, Orrick, Snap, Clerky and DoorDash to give entrepreneurs the ability to accrue and spend points on services and products they use regularly.

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