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Hauler Hero wants to bring waste management software into the 21st century Dec 20, 2024

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After nearly four years of working in sales at tradesperson software company ServiceTitan, Mark Hoadley (pictured above) was looking for a change and to potentially start something of his own in a similar industry. Hoadley’s brother-in-law, and now co-founder, Ben Sikma, was working on M&A in the waste management space at the time.

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Sustainable Ocean Alliance marks 10 years with ocean-friendly startup label and a new batch of ‘ecopreneurs’ Dec 20, 2024

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Over the last decade, the Sustainable Ocean Alliance has graduated from dorm room activism to a thousands-strong global network of experts, investors, and “ecopreneurs” — all of whom believe the best way to save the ailing oceans is to embrace innovation.

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Slip Robotics snags $28M for its bots that can load a truck in five minutes Dec 19, 2024

Show notes

Drop by any given loading dock and a buzz of forklifts — loaded up with goods — can be spotted maneuvering in and out of truck trailers. This logistical dance can take up to an hour to fill a trailer, leaving truck drivers in idle limbo.

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Grammarly acquires productivity startup Coda, brings on new CEO Dec 19, 2024

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Grammarly is acquiring productivity startup Coda, the company announced on Tuesday. As part of the deal, Coda’s CEO and co-founder Shishir Mehrotra will become the new CEO of Grammarly. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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Focused Energy buys two of the world’s most powerful lasers for its fusion quest Dec 18, 2024

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The massive lasers will be installed in the startup’s future facility, which it is building in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Prequel is building a community-driven approach to finding software bugs Dec 18, 2024

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Cybersecurity practitioners take a community-driven approach to solving problems. Security researchers share the vulnerabilities they find with the broader cybersecurity community, which allows companies to patch up their security holes before something catastrophic happens. Prequel is looking to bring that same approach to software.

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Revisiting 19th-century Paris with VR Dec 17, 2024

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While I have fond memories of past efforts to combine VR content with real-world locations, I’d assumed the pandemic had put those ambitions to an end. If I wanted VR in 2024, I thought I’d have to buy a headset, and it would be a largely solitary experience at home or in the office

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Flare raises $30M to thwart info-stealers like those used on Snowflake customers Dec 17, 2024

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Threat exposure management startup Flare thinks it has an answer to info-stealers with a service that watches the dark web, resets passwords.

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As AI-fueled disinformation explodes, here comes the startup counterattack Dec 16, 2024

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With disinformation on the rise, especially given the explosion of AI, companies are just as vulnerable to its effects as individuals. Refute is a London-based startup that detects and responds to disinformation on behalf of these commercial entities. It’s now raised a £2.3 million ($2.9 million) pre-seed round led by UK investors Playfair and Episode.

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Activate and The Engine Accelerator team up to train scientists to become founders Dec 16, 2024

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Two prominent programs, Activate and The Engine Accelerator, have decided they can give founders an advantage if they team up.

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