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  • 49 US startups have become unicorns so far in 2024: Here’s the full list

    49 US startups have become unicorns so far in 2024: Here’s the full list

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    Despite the tight venture capital market, unicorns are still being created every month.

    Using data from Crunchbase, CB Insights, and PitchBook, TechCrunch tracked down the newly minted unicorns so far this year. The list includes Elon Musk’s xAI, which is already valued at a staggering $24 billion, as well as a good number of other AI startups. But cybersecurity, health tech and fintech have also done well. This list will be updated throughout the year, so check back and see the powerhouses raising this year! 

    September 

    Rentberry — $1 billion: This real estate company that lists long-term rentals, founded in 2015, raised a $90 million Series A valuing the company at $1 billion. The company has raised more than $100 million to date from investors including 808 Ventures, Zing Capital, and 369 Growth Partners. 

    Safe Superintelligence — $1 billion: This AI research company founded in 2024 by Open AI co-founder Ilya Sutskever raised $1 billion, giving it a valuation of $5 billion. Investors include Nividia, Sequoia, and a16z, according to Pitchbook. 

    24M Technologies — $1.3 billion: Crunchbase reports that this company, founded in 2010 to make batteries, raised an $87 million Series H that valued the company at $1.3 billion. Other investors, according to Pitchbook, include Volkswagen Group and FujiFilm. 

    Twelve — $1 billion: Founded in 2015 to make clean jet fuel, this company raised a $200 million Series C, valuing it at $1 billion. Investors include TPG, Capricorn Investment Group, and Pulse Fund, according to Crunchbase. 

    August 

    Groq — $2.8 billion: This AI chip startup founded in 2016 raised a $640 million funding round led by Blackrock in August, valuing the company at $2.8 billion. The company overall has raised more than $1 billion, with other investors including Type One Ventures and Samsung Catalyst Fund.

    Altana Technologies — $1 billion: Founded in 2018, this global supply chain company raised a $221.4 million Series C, valuing the company at $1 billion, according to Pitchbook. The company has raised more than $340 million to date, from investors including Salesforce Ventures and GV. 

    Story Protocol — $2.45 billion: This blockchain company, founded in 2022, raised an $80 million Series B led by a16z, according to Crunchbase, valuing the company at $2.25 billion. Pitchbook says other investors include Foresight Ventures and Samsung NEXT Ventures. 

    EliseAI — $1 billion: This AI property management platform, founded in 2017, last raised a $75 million Series D, valuing the company at $1 billion, according to Pitchbook. The company has raised $171.9 million to date, from investors including Sapphire Ventures and Point72 Ventures. 

    Codeium — $1.3 billion: This AI code completion and chat tool, founded in 2021, raised a $150 million Series C that valued the company at $1.25 billion, according to Pitchbook. The company has raised more than $240 million to date, from investors including Founders Fund, and Base Case Capital. 

    HomeLight — $1.7 billion: Founded in 2012, this real estate marketplace raised a $235 million Series D that valued the company at $1.7 billion, according to Pitchbook. The company has raised $524 million to date from investors including GV, Menlo Ventures, and TriplePoint Capital.

    July

    Aven — $1 billion: Aven, founded in 2019, is a consumer credit card company. It reached a $1 billion valuation after closing a $142 million Series D led by Khosla Ventures and General Catalyst, according to CB Insights.

    Flo Health — $1 billion: This fertility-tracking app announced a $200 million Series C, valuing the company at more than $1 billion, TechCrunch reported. Founded in 2015, the company has raised more than $290 million in total funding from investors, including General Atlantic. 

    Altana Technologies — $1 billion: This global supply chain management company, founded in 2018, closed a $200 million Series C, valuing it at $1 billion. Investors included Salesforce Ventures and the US Innovative Technology Fund. PitchBook notes the company has raised around $322 million to date.

    Chainguard — $1.1 billion: This cybersecurity company announced a $140 million Series C, valuing the company at $1.12 billion. Founded in 2021, Chainguard has raised more than $256 million to date from investors, including Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Redpoint Ventures. 

    Harvey — $1.5 billion: Legal AI platform Harvey raised a $100 million round from investors, including Google Ventures, OpenAI, Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital, that brought its valuation to $1.5 billion. It has now raised a total of $206 million.  

    Saronic Technologies — $1 billion: Saronic, a defense tech maker of autonomous surface vessels, raised a $175 million Series B at a $1 billion valuation, led by Andreessen Horowitz, with other backers including 8VC, Caffeinated Capital and Elad Gil. It has now raised $244.5 million to date, according to PitchBook.

    June

    Creatio — $1.2 billion: The workflow automation platform, founded in 2014, raised a $200 million funding round led by Sapphire Ventures, valuing the company at $1.2 billion, TechCrunch previously reported. Pitchbook says the company has raised more than $260 million to date.

    Huntress — $1.55 billion: The managed cybersecurity startup that offers extended detection and response (EDR) tech closed a $150 million Series D, valuing the company at $1.55 billion. The company has raised a little more than $300 million to date. Launched in 2015, it has top investors on its cap table, including Kleiner Perkins and Sapphire Ventures, according to PitchBook.  

    xAI — $24 billion: Founded only last year by Elon Musk, this AI startup is already valued at $24 billion after closing a $6 billion Series B backed by investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Craft Ventures, Fidelity Investments, and Sequoia. xAI offers the multimodal large language model known as Grok.

    BillionToOne — $1 billion: This disease-screening genetic testing company raised a $130 million Series D, according to Crunchbase, valuing the company at $1 billion. 

    May

    Altruist — $1.5 billion: This fintech startup, which offers investment management for independent registered investment advisers, was founded in 2018. It raised a $169 million Series E in May, led by ICONIQ Growth, valuing the company at $1.5 billion. The company has also received investments from Insight Partners and Endeavor Catalyst, according to PitchBook, and has raised more than $450 million to date in funding.

    Weka — $1.6 billion:  A SaaS data storage company that specializes in AI use cases, Weka closed a $140 million Series E, valuing the company at $1.6 billion, according to PitchBook. Launched in 2013, the company has raised around $375 million to date, with investors including Valor Equity Partners, Generation Investment Management, and Nvidia. 

    Farcaster — $1 billion: The open source, blockchain-based social media startup closed a $150 million Series A led by Paradigm, leading to a post-money valuation of $1 billion. Launched in 2021, it’s backed by a16z and Union Square Ventures and has raised more than $180 million in funding to date, according to PitchBook. 

    Sigma Computing — $1.5 billion: This AI-driven big data analytics startup raised a round in May that valued it at $1.5 billion. The company has raised almost $560 million to date, according to Crunchbase. 

    Humanity Protocol — $1 billion: This blockchain palm-scanning identity startup, founded in 2023, raised a $30 million seed round, giving it a post-money valuation of $1 billion. In total, the company has only raised $30 million from investors, including hedge fund Ash Park Capital and Aza Ventures, according to PitchBook. 

    April

    Cyera — $1.5 billion:  Data security provider Cyera raised a $300 million Series C in April, valuing the company at $1.5 billion, according to PitchBook. Founded in 2021, the company has raised $460 million in funding to date from investors, including Redpoint Ventures and Accel. 

    Monad Labs — $3 billion: Monad, which is working on a faster version of the Ethereum blockchain, raised a $225 million Series A in April, valuing the company at $3 billion. To date, the company has raised more than $244 million from investors, including Amber Group and Artichoke Capital. 

    Nexamp — $1.5 billion: This clean-energy company raised a $520 million round with a mixture of debt and venture financing that valued the company at $1.08 billion, according to PitchBook. The company, founded in 2007, has raised a little more than $1.31 billion in funding to date. 

    Grow Therapy — $1.4 billion: This therapist-finder health tech company launched in 2020 and raised an $88 million Series C round in April, according to PitchBook, valuing the company at $1.4 billion. To date, the company has raised almost $180 million in funding from investors, including Sequoia, Goldman Sachs, and actress Anna Kendrick. 

    Cognition AI — $2 billion: Cognition, which is working on an AI software engineer named Devin, reportedly raised a $175 million Series B in April, valuing the company at $2 billion. To date, the company, founded in 2023, has raised $196 million, according to PitchBook, from investors such as Founders Fund, Khosla Ventures and Pear. 

    Xaira Therapeutics — $2.7 billion: This AI drug discovery startup, founded in 2023, launched with a huge $1 billion Series A in April, giving it a valuation of $2.7 billion. The company has raised $1 billion in total funding from investors ARCH Venture Partners, Foresite Capital, Menlo Ventures, Lux Capital, and New Enterprise Associates. 

    Flip — $1.19 billion: This social commerce platform, founded in 2019, raised a $144 million Series C, valuing the company at $1.19 billion, according to PitchBook. To date, the company has raised a little more than $300 million in venture funding from investors, including ad tech giant AppLovin, Streamlined VC, Mubadala sovereign wealth fund. 

    March

    io.net — $1 billion: This cloud service, which puts GPUs from data centers and cryptocurrency miners into a decentralized network that can be used by AI models, was founded in 2019. (It used to be geared toward quant trading). It closed a $33 million Series A in March, according to PitchBook, valuing the company at $1 billion. The company has only raised $35 million to date, with investors including 6th Man Ventures, Foresight Ventures, and ArkStream Capital, according to PitchBook. 

    Perplexity — $1 billion: The famed AI search engine raised a $73.6 million Series B in January at a $520 million valuation, followed by an additional $62.7 million in April, doubling Perplexity‘s valuation to $1.04 billion. The company has raised $165 million to date. 

    Octane — $1.1 billion: A company that offers instant financing on mowers and recreational vehicles, Octane raised $50 million in April, giving in a post-money valuation of $1.11 billion. The company, launched in 2014, has raised around $250 million million in funding to date, from investors including Progressive and Gaingels, according to PitchBook. 

    Celestial AI — $1.2 billion: The AI company raised a $175 million Series C in March, valuing it at $1.2 billion, led by billionaire Thomas Tull’s USIT fund. The company has raised $339 million to date from investors, including Koch Disruptive Technologies, Temasek, AMD, Samsung Catalyst Fund and Porsche Automobil Holding.

    IntraBio — $1 billion: Intra bio, a neurodegenerative diseases drug discovery company, raised a $40 million round of funding in March that reportedly valued it at $1 billion, according to Crunchbase. To date, the company has raised more than $50 million in funding.

    Liquid Death — $1.4 billion:  TechCrunch reported that the beverage startup’s last round of $67 million valued the company at $1.4 billion. Liquid Death has raised more than $260 million in funding, according to Crunchbase. 

    February

    Blink Health — $1.3 billion: Founded in 2014, this online pharmacy took on $81 million in private equity funding, giving it a $1.28 billion post-money valuation. The company, which has now received a mixture of private equity and venture capital funding, has raised more than $250 million in funding to date, with investors including 8VC and BoxGroup, according to PitchBook. 

    NinjaOne — $1.9 billion: This mobile device management and security company raised a $231 million Series C in February, giving it a $1.9 billion post-money valuation, it said. The company has raised $282.7 million to date from investors, including ICONIQ Growth, according to PitchBook.  

    Ascend Elements — $1.6 billion:  This sustainable battery company raised a $162 million round in February, it said. This gives it a post-money valuation of $1.61 billion, according to PitchBook. To date, the company has raised more than $1 billion in funding from investors, including Just Climate, Clearvision Ventures, and Irongrey. 

    Lambda — $1.5 billion:  This GPU cloud computing platform for AI use raised a $320 million Series C in February at a post-money valuation of $1.52 billion. It then raised another $800 million round in July, according to PitchBook. In total, the company has raised almost $900 million, with investors including Garry Tan, Bloomberg Beta, and Alumni Ventures. 

    EigenLayer — $1.1 billion: EigenLayer is behind a new project for Ethereum called staking, which involves using Ether tokens as security. Launched in 2021, it picked up a $100 million Series B in February, led by a16z, giving it a $1 billion valuation, according to PitchBook. In total, the company has raised a little more than $160 million in venture funding, with other backers including Blockchain Capital and Apollo Crypto. 

    Figure — $2.6 billion: The humanoid robot company raised a $675 million Series B in February, giving it a valuation of $2.6 billion. In total, Figure has raised almost $850 million in venture funding, with investors including Bezos Expeditions, Calm Ventures, Intel, Nvidia, OpenAI and Microsoft, according to PitchBook. 

    Together AI — $1.25 billion: This cloud service for running open source AI models raised a $106 million round led by Salesforce Ventures, giving the company a post-money valuation of $1.25 billion. Together AI has raised a little more than $232 million in venture funding from investors, including Hugging Face, NEA Partners, and 137 Ventures, according to PitchBook.  

    Bugcrowd — $1 billion: This crowdsourced bug-fixing cybersecurity platform raised a $102 million Series E in February, led by General Catalyst, which valued the company at $1 billion, according to Crunchbase. The company has raised more than $180 million to date. 

    January

    ElevenLabs — $1 billion: The AI text-to-speech generator startup, specializing in language dubbing, picked up an $80 million Series B in January, giving it a post-money valuation of $1 billion. ElevenLabs has raised $101 million to date, with investors like a16z, Sequoia, and SV Angel, according to Crunchbase. 

    Quantinuum — $5.3 billion: Founded in 2021, the quantum computing cloud service raised a $300 million round in January led by Honeywell, valuing the company at $5.3 billion, according to Crunchbase. PitchBook shows that IMB Ventures and JPMorgan Chase are also backers of the company. 

    Zūm — $1.3 billion: This school transportation fleet management startup closed a $140 million Series E round in January led by Singapore firm GIC, valuing Zūm at $1.3 billion, the company said. It has raised $350 million in total, according to Crunchbase. 

    This piece was updated to correct the numbers about Huntress’ valuation, and Forsite and Lambda‘s name.

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  • Biomimetic EV fan goes full ‘birds of prey’ toward muted efficiency

    Biomimetic EV fan goes full ‘birds of prey’ toward muted efficiency

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    German automotive supplier Mahle has been hard at work on next-gen electric drive systems, and it’s also been exploring other critical components to help make vehicular electrification a more viable reality. At September’s IAA Transportation show, it revealed a thermal management fan that borrows from nature to provide smoother, quieter, more efficient performance on the road and at the charger. The fan is designed to meet the needs of the full spectrum of vehicles, from small urban EVs to large fuel cell trucks.

    In order to arrive at its unique fan blade design, Mahle used an AI engine to explore a variety of possible biomimetic options.

    “We analyzed the characteristic features of bats, swordfish, and many other inspirations from nature,” explained Dr. Uli Christian Blessing, Mahle’s development chief for thermal management. “We finally ended up with the owl, the silent hunter, as the main template for our new fan.”

    Blessing doesn’t exaggerate; owls are well-known as a silent predator, able to effectively swoop down on their prey in virtual silence thanks to the unique form of their wing feathers. Both the leading and trailing edges are broken into small comb-like serrations that smooth out air turbulence to cut noise and provide the owl’s hyper-quiet hunting ability.

    While Mahle may have indeed used AI to help narrow its specific search, it didn’t start from scratch on the idea of an owl-like blade. This style of design has been researched and pursued by a number of entities over the years, proposed for myriad uses that include wind turbines, aircraft engines and gaming system cooling hardware. In fact, German building and machinery component supplier Ziehl-Abegg has developed a full lineup of FE2owlet multipurpose axial fans with owl wing-inspired blades.

    The wavy ribbon-like blades feature owl-inspired serrated edges for smoother airflow and less noise
    The wavy ribbon-like blades feature owl-inspired serrated edges for smoother airflow and less noise

    Mahle

    Compared to the F2owlet, Mahle’s design looks downright docile and much less saw-like, but it still employs serrations along the wavy blade edges to channel and quiet airflow. The company says the blade design works much like it does on the owl’s wing, cutting noise by up to 4 decibel A, more than half the sound output of a standard fan.

    “One can imagine the sound reduction power of our fan to be like that of turning off one of the speakers on a stereo system,” Blessing analogized.

    Mahle says the effect is particularly valuable when the vehicle is running at full load or fast-charging at night, cutting down on noise pollution for both the vehicle driver and those nearby.

    Beyond just the blades, Mahle has applied biomimetic inspiration to the construction of the fan cover and hardware
    Beyond just the blades, Mahle has applied biomimetic inspiration to the construction of the fan cover and hardware

    Mahle

    The new blade design also results in 10% more efficient performance and a weight savings of 10% versus a conventional fan design, Mahle reports. Drivers may not notice any difference at the battery gauge, but efficiency optimization is the name of the game when it comes to EV design, and every bit contributes.

    Mahle has designed the fan for a scalable power range between 300 and 35,000 watts so it could be equipped to everything from small electric passenger cars to large commercial vehicles. Beyond just battery electrics, it’s also designed for use in fuel cell electric setups, and Mahle debuted it within an FCEV truck cab mockup with a full complement of FCEV system components, including its first all-electric axle with two SCT motors.

    At last month's IAA Transportation show, Mahle exhibited a mockup of its full fuel cell drive system that included a fuel cell and supporting hardware, thermal management setup (fan and battery cooling), complete liquid management system, and HD electric axle with two SCT electric motors worth 697 hp
    At last month’s IAA Transportation show, Mahle exhibited a mockup of its full fuel cell drive system that included a fuel cell and supporting hardware, thermal management setup (fan and battery cooling), complete liquid management system, and HD electric axle with two SCT electric motors worth 697 hp

    Mahle

    Mahle has supplied initial fan prototypes to both passenger and commercial vehicle manufacturers for testing. Citing forecasts that battery and fuel cell electric trucks will make up 30 percent of global production by 2035, the company plans to continue attacking the challenges of electrification from multiple angles, developing both next-gen electric drives and optimized components.

    Source: Mahle



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  • Disrupt 2024 full Side Events schedule

    Disrupt 2024 full Side Events schedule

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    With TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 less than a week away, we’re thrilled to announce the complete list of companies behind the Side Events, set to amplify the excitement for thousands of attendees and Silicon Valley residents.

    From casual happy hours to insightful discussions and energizing morning runs, Disrupt Week — spanning October 26 to November 1 — features an exciting mix of Side Events happening across San Francisco, organized by a diverse collection of innovative companies.

    Side Event guidelines and disclaimers

    • Registering/RSVPing to a Side Event does not grant you access/ticket/badge to TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, taking place October 28-30.
    • Each event is organized and operated solely by a host (not Yahoo or any of its affiliates or brands, including TechCrunch).
    • Attendance is 18+ minimum and some venues are 21+ only.
    • Side Events are open to the public unless specified.
    • Please register/RSVP for any of the Side Events you want to attend.

    Disrupt 2024 Side Events Schedule

    Founders Running Club x Disrupt

    Hosted By: Founders Running Club

    Time: October 26, 2024, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

    Description: We host weekly runs in San Francisco and 20 other locations worldwide, and this time, we’re excited to be part of TechCrunch Disrupt! We offer two distances: 5K and 10K, with two pace groups. The focus is on community and connection, not pushing yourself too hard.  ​For this event, we’ll meet at the William McKinley Monument, take a group photo, and then run to Golden Gate Park and back. The 5K group will have an optional workout at the end, followed by a visit to a nearby coffee shop for more networking.

    Laughs for Jobs with KhwajaLabs

    Hosted By: KhwajaLabs

    Time: October 26, 2024, 7:00–8:30 p.m.

    Description: A standup comedy show with bits relating to careers in tech, job search, AI, and more. The show includes an audience engagement segment — for the brave!

    Unlock Your Investor Potential: How Tech Workers Can Become LPs Using Vested Stock Units

    Hosted By: Musa Capital

    Time: October 26, 2024, 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

    Description: Are you a technology professional with vested stock units from companies like Google, Amazon, or Apple? Curious about how you can leverage those assets to become a limited partner (LP) in a venture capital (VC) fund? Join us for an exclusive Office Hours event where we’ll guide you through the process of converting your vested stock units into investments in VC funds.

    Early Bird AI Run: Network and Energize

    Hosted By: techtrust.ai

    Time: October 27, 2024, 8:30–9:30 a.m.

    Description: Kick off your TechCrunch Disrupt Days with some fresh air, energy, and networking! Join us for a relaxed 3.2-mile morning run through the iconic Crissy Field, heading toward Fort Point and back, set against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge. Whether you’re an AI founder, venture capitalist, or simply passionate about AI, this run offers a great opportunity to connect while maintaining a comfortable pace for conversation at Disrupt.

    Disrupt AI Hack Day

    Hosted By: Weaviate

    Time: October 27, 2024, 9:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m.

    Description: Lightning Talks, Demo and Quick Start Challenges, Product Workshop, and prizes! ​If this sounds like a fun day to you, secure your spot and become part of the incredible tech community present!

    Ikigai Workshop: Discover Your Purpose

    Hosted By: Quor

    Time: October 27, 2024, 4:00–7:00 p.m.

    Description: An enriching Ikigai workshop that promises to transform the way you approach your business and personal goals and engage employees.

    Personalized Purpose Mapping: Explore the Japanese concept of Ikigai by crafting a purpose map that aligns your business with your aspirations.

    Strategic Clarity: Gain insights into how aligning your purpose with your business strategies can lead to more effective decision-making and higher employee engagement.

    Meaningful Connections: Engage with like-minded entrepreneurs in a reflective setting that encourages deep, meaningful interactions and collaborative growth.

    TechCrunch Founder Poker Tournament and Happy Hour

    Hosted By: The Howard SF

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–8:00 p.m.

    Description: Join us for an evening of great conversations, delicious drinks, and exciting poker action. Let’s make this a night to remember!

    Announcing the 1st Annual TechCrunch Founders Poker Tournament! This is a fantastic opportunity to network with other founders while testing your skills at the table.

    Founders attending the conference are invited to sign up for the poker tournament in advance. Don’t miss your chance to win bragging rights and some great prizes!

    Investing in Irish Technology — Pitch Night at Ireland House

    Hosted By: Enterprise Ireland

    Time: October 29, 2024, 5:30–8:00 p.m.

    Description: Join us for an exclusive evening of pitching and networking, featuring 8 cutting-edge startups from Ireland. These companies are driving innovation and are on the hunt for funding to accelerate their global growth. Connect with visionary founders and explore opportunities to be part of their journey, while having a few drinks in the infamous Ireland House on Post Street.

    Human Approach to AI

    Hosted By: Quor

    Time: October 29, 2024, 6:00–8:00 p.m.

    Description: Get inspired and stay ahead with this dynamic AI event!

    Expert Panel: Hear from leading minds on where AI is headed and what it means for your business.

    Live AI Demo: See cutting-edge AI tools in action and discover how they boost human potential.

    Real-World Case Studies: Learn from companies that are successfully implementing human-centered AI solutions.

    Engaging Roundtables: Join interactive discussions with AI experts and fellow innovators.

    Don’t miss this chance to gain actionable insights and shape your AI strategy!

    Embarkr Launch Party

    Hosted By: Embarkr

    Time: October 30, 2024, 6:30–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Join us for an unforgettable evening as we unveil Embarkr — the innovative event-hosting platform designed to elevate your social experience by connecting you with like-minded individuals in real time.

    Whether you’re an entrepreneur, creative, or social butterfly, our launch party is the perfect opportunity to expand your network and make meaningful connections.

    NTT Ecosystem Partners: Powering Enterprise and CivTech/GovTech Innovation with GenAI

    Hosted By: NTT

    Time: October 30, 2024, 5:00–7:30 p.m.

    Description: Join us at NTT Experience Center where our ecosystem partners like Microsoft’s Carol Scott and BCG senior adviser Mickey McManus help us understand the transformative power of generative AI for rapid innovation and transformation. Engage in an interactive demo with Malcolm Gill, head of NTT Data Launch West of the Dear Mayor app. This GenAI tool unlocks collective intelligence for San Francisco powered by real “ChatGPT style inputs” — or prompt engineering. Hear from San Francisco Chamber of Commerce president Rodney Fong and “Maker City” author Peter Hirshberg discuss how public and private partnerships can tackle urban and civic innovation challenges to support small businesses in San Francisco during this TechCrunch Disrupt side event.

    SID Partners US
    City of Ulsan Innovators Night: Meet & Connect

    Hosted By: SID Partners US

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Join us for a delightful evening of pitching and networking with innovative startups from Ulsan, South Korea, during TechCrunch Disrupt 2024.

    Connect with 7 pioneering companies and discover exciting ideas while enjoying Korean food and drinks. Please RSVP to secure your spot at this special gathering!

    The Bay’s APAC Founders Connect!

    Hosted By: January Capital

    Time: October 30, 2024, 6:30–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Join us for an exclusive gathering of APAC founders living in San Francisco at APAC Founders Connect, a unique event that brings together the brightest entrepreneurial minds from Asia-Pacific who are making their mark in the Bay Area. This is not just another networking event; it’s a space where innovation, collaboration, and community come together, designed specifically for founders who have crossed borders to build the future in one of the world’s most dynamic startup ecosystems.

    Futurist Happy Hour

    Hosted By: Future Factory

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–8:00 p.m.

    Description: The Futurist Happy Hour at Future Factory SF returns for TechCrunch Disrupt Week, following a highly successful event last year where we hosted over 200 VCs, founders, and tech leaders. This year’s event will feature interactive AR/VR demos, cutting-edge tech showcases, and curated networking spaces designed to foster meaningful connections and collaboration. Held in a sleek, industrial-chic venue, this happy hour offers a unique opportunity to explore the future of technology in an immersive environment, with custom cocktails, fireside chats, and exclusive insights into the latest innovations.

    Founders and Funders Wine Tasting Happy Hour Presented by SVB

    Hosted By: Silicon Valley Bank

    Time: October 29, 2024, 5:00–7:00 p.m.

    Description: After the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, a B2B SaaS AI fireside chat hosted by SVB, GenAI Collective, Escalon Services, and Wilson Sonsini will feature a 30-minute discussion on cutting-edge trends and industry best practices, with expert panelists exploring the latest developments, sharing success stories, and providing actionable insights. The event will conclude with a networking happy hour, offering premium Napa Valley wines and craft beers, designed for institutionally backed founders and investors within the B2B SaaS AI community.

    Brex Social Club

    Hosted By: Brex

    Time: October 29, 2024, 6:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: This isn’t your typical networking event; our goal is to make space for meaningful connections, learn from each other, and move each other forward.

    This will be a highly curated group of founders and VCs, and there will be flowing 🥂 and conversation starters. You’ll leave with new friends, business connections, and new thoughts on how to hit that next level of personal or company growth.

    Founders & Innovators Happy Hour with Mercury, Notion for Startups, & Gusto

    Hosted By: Mercury

    Time: October 28, 2024, 6:30–8:30 p.m.

    Description: Mercury, Notion for Startups, and Gusto invite you to their Founders & Innovators Happy Hour at SHACK15 on October 28, 2024, from 6:30–8:30pm. Close out day one of TechCrunch Disrupt by meeting fellow entrepreneurs and builders just steps away from Moscone. Take in the Bay views, have a nibble at the oyster bar, and forge new connections in San Francisco’s iconic Ferry Building.

    TechCrunch Meets Cyber Security

    Hosted By: c/side, FireTail and Socket

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Client-side attacks, particularly those targeting third-party scripts, are on the rise. Meanwhile, APls are the key drivers of your digital innovation but they are also a top target for attackers. And then there’s code and dependencies to check for any vulnerabilities…

    ​Let’s talk about how to navigate all of that!

    HIIT.VC Sweatworking

    Hosted By: OMERS Ventures

    Time: October 28, 2024, 7:30–9:30 p.m.

    Description: Sweatworking offers a refreshing alternative to the typical late-night, drinking-focused networking events. This unique workout session provides founders and investors with the opportunity to forge meaningful connections while engaging in a healthy activity.

    Private VC / AI Startup Mixer #TechCrunch #Disrupt2024

    Hosted By: micro1

    Time: October 30, 2024, 5:30–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Hosted by Open Future Forum, micro1, and Newmark to bring together a community of leaders, investors, founders, and engineers based in the Bay Area, California. Join us for a VCs and Founders Mixer, an exclusive evening of networking for AI startup founders looking to hire engineers and explore office space in San Francisco. If this sounds like you, we’d love to have you join! To apply, your startup must have over $240,000 ARR or have raised $1 million+ in funding within the last two years. Enjoy meaningful connections while indulging in wine, cheese, and hors d’oeuvres.

    The AI Growth and Differentiation Playbook — Happy Hour & Fireside Chat

    Hosted By: Descope and you.com

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: We are living in the AI gold rush era. True value may be just around the corner, but only if you manage to dodge the snake oil salesmen along the way. In such a crowded market, how do you prioritize, focus, and execute while setting your company apart from its competitors? Saurabh Sharma, CPO of You.com, knows a thing or ten about that. Join our exclusive fireside chat.

    Mixer for AI Startup Founders and Investors, 10 AI Startups on Demo Floor

    Hosted By: Llama Lounge: The AI Startup Event Series

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Llama Lounge is one of the longest-running AI startup event series in San Francisco. Ten AI startups will be on the demo floor, where you’ll hear remarks from the hosts. Hundreds of AI founders and VCs will be present. Come network with the long-running SF AI community at this exclusive event partnered with Disrupt. Organized by Jeremiah Owyang, speaker at Disrupt.

    Accelerate Product Delivery Using Generative AI and Smart Contracts

    Hosted By: Rezoomex

    Time: October 28, 2024, 6:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: What’s one of the biggest hurdles for visionary organizations aiming to bring their ideas to market? It’s turning those big ideas into something INVEST’able — Independent, Valuable, Estimable, Small, and Testable. Successful organizations delight users, clients, and stakeholders by embracing Agile values, principles, and practices. They align their teams to transform visions into reality. This innovative workshop is designed for anyone eager to turn their ideas into reality. Attendees will engage in hands-on exercises with Rezoomex’s AI assistants. Learn to break down big ideas into smaller, manageable pieces for your teams to understand, deliver, and validate.

    Happy Hour with Women Founders Bay!

    Hosted By: Women Founders Bay

    Time: October 30, 2024, 5:30–8:30 p.m.

    Description: Join us for Women Founders Bay Happy Hour at Novela! We will have a selection of food and drinks as well as activities for the group! Some fun surprises and giveaways as well.

    Women Tech Meetup w/Brex & Puzzle Growing from Seed to Success

    Hosted By: Women Tech Meetup

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:30–8:30 p.m.

    Description: Join our Women Tech Meetup w/Brex & Puzzle on October 28 as an official Side Event of TechCrunch Disrupt — an incredible gathering of women in technology, female founders, entrepreneurs, community builders, and other professionals! The topic of the panel discussion — growing from seed to success! We’ll talk about fundraising, venture capital, and the challenges that female founders face on their journey to building successful companies, along with strategies to overcome them.

    USF Downtown TechCrunch Tech Brunch

    Hosted By: USF Startup Club

    Time: October 26, 2024, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

    Description: USF Startup Club + MS Entrepreneurship & Innovation program will be hosting a brunch on campus, including our graduate students, alumni, Silicon Valley operators, and investors.

    Opening Disrupt with Sweat & Sparks: BeActive SF

    Hosted By: Flamme AI — The Couples App

    Time: October 27, 2024, 12:00–1:30 p.m.

    Description: Kick off TechCrunch Disrupt with a healthy start — a fun social workout! Come connect with some of the best founders and investors while sweating out the weekend’s indulgences. Hosted by Ankit Nayal (ex-bodybuilder, founder of Flamme.app). Difficulty level: Beginner/Intermediate

    Hack the Climate with Climate Quest

    Hosted By: Climate Quest

    Time: October 27, 2024, 12:00–6:00 p.m.

    Description: An afternoon of collaborative climate action — addressing carbon capture storage, circular economy, clean energy transition, and climate finance. Hosted by a climate founder and angel investor.

    Founders & Investors Run

    Hosted By: AQ22

    Time: October 29, 2024, 7:30–8:30 a.m.

    Description: Start your morning off right with a fun networking run designed for founders, investors, and innovators. Whether you’re looking to talk about your next big idea, secure an investment, or simply get some fresh air with like-minded professionals, this is your sign to register. Expect a casual, friendly atmosphere — no pitch decks required! But have your elevator pitch ready (in case of an interested investor).

    Making Money in the Energy Transition

    Hosted By: DNV Ventures

    Time: October 28, 2024, 4:00–7:30 p.m.

    Description: Join us for the launch of DNV Ventures’ Energy Transition Outlook, an invite-only networking event tailored to corporate venture capitalists and VCs. This event will showcase DNV ventures and its portfolio companies around a dynamic panel on the business opportunity that the energy transition represents. Connect with industry leaders and gain insights into the future of the energy transition. 

    HardTech After Party @Studio 55

    Hosted By: Andrews Cooper

    Time: October 29, 2024, 5:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Come connect with other attendees from TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 at the HardTech After Party hosted by Studio 45, Andrews Cooper, and informal! We will have food, drinks, and music.

    Speak Easy Happy Hour

    Hosted By: BrainCloud

    Time: October 29, 2024, 5:00–7:00 p.m.

    Description: Speak Easy with BrainCloud at our Hosted Happy Hour. In addition to talent services, BrainCloud supports startups with all kinds of free resources and the free resources of the day are bar bites and drinks! The Pawn Shop is — wait for it — a pawnshop up front, but it’s a swanky speakeasy and tapas bar in the back. So come speak easy with fellow startup folks on Tuesday — just down the street from where Disrupt 2024 will be at Moscone West!

    Pop Up Bubbl Lounge — The Future of Smart Startup Travel. Connecting Entrepreneurs to Build Authentic Networks on the Road

    Hosted By: Bubbl

    Time: October 29, 2024, 5:00–7:00 p.m.

    Description: Shared Travel, Shared Success: Connecting Entrepreneurs Through Smart Accommodation! Join us for a Happy Hour and short panel discussion on how shared travel experiences foster connections, optimize costs, and create business opportunities. Hear from travel tech innovators and entrepreneurs on leveraging platforms like Bubbl to simplify group travel, reduce expenses, and enhance networking at events. Expect insightful stories, practical tips, an audience Q&A, and exclusive offers for group stays at future conferences. Plus, one attendee will win a free Bubbl experience for a future tech conference within our portfolio! Transform how you travel and connect.

    Semiconductors and AI for Climate Startup Cup — Finalists Announcement and Reception

    Hosted By: Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC)

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–7:00 p.m.

    Description: Join us for an exclusive gathering as we propel climate tech innovation forward. This event is dedicated to promoting technologies that reduce emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and minimize waste, all while fostering clean energy and sustainable practices. The event will feature remarks from XTC co-founders Young Sohn and Bill Tai, rapid pitches from the Top 30 XTC Startup Cup Semifinalist, and a networking reception with 200+ corporates, VCs, founders, ecosystem builders, and public sector stakeholders. 

    Gaming-Film-Interactive Tech Terrace Party Investors & Networking On Bay!

    Hosted By: Love Soul AI

    Time: October 29, 2024, 5:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Gaming, Film & Interactive Media Tech Terrace Investors & Networking Party Overlooking San Francisco Bay

    Happy Hour with McDermott Will & Emery LLP

    Hosted By: McDermott Will & Emery

    Time: October 29, 2024, 5:00–8:00 p.m.

    Description: Join us for an exclusive cocktail reception designed to bring together dynamic startup players, venture capitalists, and lawyers from McDermott’s capital markets, mergers & acquisitions, and venture capital practices. You’ll enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and invaluable networking opportunities against the beautiful backdrop of San Francisco Bay.

    『MELT』150+ Founders x Investors Dynamic Network

    Hosted By: MELT

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–7:00 p.m.

    Description: We’re bringing together 150 top 1% of founders, from pre-seed to Series D, along with active VCs and angel investors.

    Pitch&Drink with P2S.VC

    Hosted By: Pre-seed to Succeed (AltaIR Capital, Yellow Rocks, Smart Partnership Capital, I2BF Global Ventures)

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Calling all founders looking for investment opportunities to Pitch&Drink with P2S.vc! Connect with a community of like-minded individuals and VCs and gain insights into your next fundraising venture in a relaxed and fun environment.

    Event Format: Venture (founders and investors) speed dating. Founders will have 2 to 3 minutes to present their elevator pitch (no presentation) directly to the investors, followed by a 6- to 7-minute Q&A session. After 10 minutes, the gong sounds and the founders change their places.

    Startup Grind Happy Hour with Microsoft for Startups & DuploCloud

    Hosted By: Startup Grind

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–7:00 p.m.

    Description: Startup Grind understands how exciting the first day of a big startup conference is. Just a breezy 5-minute walk from TechCrunch in the heart of SF, our stunning happy hour venue awaits. Unwind, mingle with fellow founders, and enjoy a well-earned beer or glass of wine, plus some tasty finger food. See you there!

    Meetup with『Shinhan Square Bridge』(S²Bridge) Startups

    Hosted By: SWITH

    Time: October 29, 2024, 5:00–8:00 p.m.

    Description: Beyond the main stage of TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, join us for a night of pitching and networking with deep tech Korean startups. Connect and discover where ideas spark! Meet and mingle with 8 startups of the event. Food and drinks on SWITH. RSVP only.

    Investor Talks by w.tech

    Hosted By: w.tech

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–8:00 p.m.

    Description: We are planning to dive deep into the world of tech funding, featuring leading voices in the industry. Hosted by the dynamic Wtech team, this is more than just a meetup — it’s a rare opportunity to connect with top women in tech. Expect insightful panel discussions, inspiring success stories, and invaluable networking opportunities with key players in the tech world.

    A Well Tech Terrace Party! Hosted by Well Now! & Love Soul AI

    Hosted By: Well Now! & Love Soul AI

    Time: October 28, 2024, 5:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Health tech and wellness tech, investors, and networking party on the terrace overlooking the San Francisco Bay.  

    Scaling Smart: Leading Tech Companies to Success (Panel & Happy Hour)

    Hosted By: Presence

    Time: October 29, 2024, 5:30–8:30 p.m.

    Description: Join us for “Scaling Smart,” a panel and happy hour focused on actionable strategies for scaling your company’s success. Hear from top women executives sharing real-world stories of turning startup and midlevel company challenges into sustainable growth. Explore how they’ve overcome obstacles, aligned teams, and leveraged digital innovation to capture new markets. Enjoy an open bar and hors d’oeuvres, and network with a curated guest list of tech leaders. Expect no-fluff insights, meaningful takeaways, and the opportunity to build connections that will drive your business forward. RSVP for a beautiful evening designed to inspire growth and foster valuable industry relationships, all in a relaxed, collaborative setting.

    Happy Hour Launch Party with Vently

    Hosted By: Vently

    Time: October 29, 2024, 5:30–8:30 p.m.

    Description: Wine tasting happy hour with the Vently team! Join us as we gear up to launch our social network for events app for an evening full of networking, socializing, and getting exclusive previews of our app! Raffles and giveaways are included. 

    Immigrant Founders Networking

    Hosted By: OpenSphere

    Time: October 29, 2024, 6:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Get ready to network and meet vetted immigrant founders, investors, and operators at Immigrant Founders Networking hosted by Young Entrepreneurs Hub, OpenSphere, and Qlay. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a fellow founder, or just curious about the future of the Immigrant Founder ecosystem, this is the place to be. Immigrant Founder? Apply to pitch.

    SF Founders-Investors Social

    Hosted By: Pilot

    Time: October 29, 2024, 6:00–9:30 p.m.

    Description: Come socialize with fellow founders and investors for a casual event to bring tech founders and investors together. No overt pitching or selling allowed — just fun conversation and genuine connection. Why come? ​Find your next investment or investor, ​make friends and future referrers or partners, ​and have fun and enjoy a night off.

    Meet the Media

    Hosted By: Zebra Public Relations

    Time: October 29, 2024, 6:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Begin your evening with a private networking session for reporters and VIP guests. Enjoy the intimate atmosphere and make meaningful connections. Engage in our interactive “Business Card Bingo” during the general networking session, making it fun and easy to meet potential collaborators. Panel discussion — “What the Media Wants”: Gain insider knowledge from our esteemed panel of journalists, including a leading business magazine journalist, a top online tech publication reporter, a prominent lifestyle editor, and a freelance writer specializing in entrepreneurial stories.

    Privacy and Social Media Happy Hour with Germ Network x Citizens

    Hosted By: Germ Network

    Time: October 28, 2024, 6:30–8:30 p.m.

    Description: Conferences get packed, but connecting stays hard. Meet other founders, funders, and conference attendees at Germ Network x Citizens’ evening of mingling. Come join us if you’re working on privacy, security, the future of communications, or healthier social media — we’re looking for our people too! Beers are on us.

    SignalFire’s Disrupt Penthouse After-Party

    Hosted By: SignalFire

    Time: October 29, 2024, 8:00–11:00 p.m.

    Description: ​After TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, join top-ranked founders and builders for a private, official after-party at one of San Francisco’s premier penthouses. Hosted by former TechCrunch editor-at-large and current SignalFire VC, Josh Constine. Come meet fellow founders, AI researchers, and investors while enjoying live musical performances, craft cocktails, delicious food, and special activations in a multistory penthouse and heated rooftop decorated by Restoration Hardware.

    Construction Tech Happy Hour

    Hosted By: Brick & Mortar Ventures

    Time: October 30, 2024, 5:30–7:00 p.m.

    Description: ​Calling all founders, investors, operators, and individuals interested in construction tech! Join us for a happy hour to mingle with peers in the construction tech space. ​​This event is hosted by Brick & Mortar Ventures, the first sector-focused venture capital firm focusing on the construction industry. Our portfolio exits include PlanGrid, Building Connected, Fieldwire and Levelset.

    Founder Friends SF

    Hosted By: Hustle Fund

    Time: October 30, 2024, 6:00–8:30 p.m.

    Description: Founder Friends is a fireside chat and networking event where we gather 100-400 founders to connect over pizza and non-alcoholic beverages to hear from a notable founder who has been through the wringer and come out on the other side. This event will feature Eric Bahn, GP and co-founder at Hustle Fund, and Yin Wu, CEO and founder of Pulley. Founder Friends does a great job of promoting an intimate gathering focused on honest conversations, with a mainly founder and VC audience, including enthusiasts and experienced entrepreneurs. 

    Slovak PRO Happy Hour

    Hosted By: Slovak PRO

    Time: October 30, 2024, 6:00–9:00 p.m.

    Description: Silicon Valley meeting the most interesting startups from Slovakia and Europe.

    Founders Fright Fest

    Hosted By: Fondo

    Time: October 31, 2024, 6:30–8:30 p.m.

    Description: Calling all brave founders and startups! Join Fondo for a ghoulishly good time at TechCrunch Disrupt’s spookiest side event — Founders Fright Fest. Sip, snack, and swap “frightening” stories that will send shivers down your spine: from the terror of missing tax deadlines to haunting missed tax credits, and the bone-chilling horror of inaccurate books. No need to face these nightmares alone! The Fondo team will be there to share how to turn those fears into distant memories. Costumes are optional, but getting your financials in order? Absolutely necessary! Don’t miss this chance to mix, mingle, and banish your startup’s accounting and bookkeeping nightmares!

    AI & Robotics Beekeeping Class + Sustainability Mixer with Beewise

    Hosted By: Beewise

    Time: October 31, 2024, 9:00–11:00 a.m.

    Description: Join Beewise for an in-person beekeeping class featuring our AI and robotics-powered beehive, the BeeHome™. Attendees will meet the bees up close in an urban garden and learn how technology can help reduce colony losses by more than 70%. Connect with other sustainability and green tech leaders over light refreshments and a tasting featuring BeeHome™ honey. 

    Bootstrappers Breakfast: TechCrunch Disrupt Special Edition

    Hosted By: Bootstrappers Breakfast

    Time: October 31, 2024, 9:00–11:00 a.m.

    Description: Come join entrepreneurs who eat problems for breakfast®. At a Bootstrappers Breakfast®, we have serious conversations about growing a business based on internal cashflow and organic profit. This is for founders who are actively bootstrapping a startup. The other attendees will all be in startups. It will be a chance to compare notes on operational, development, and business issues with peers. Now in our 14th year in Silicon Valley.

    Creative Tech for Future Products: Panel & Happy Hour

    Hosted By: Jetro, in collaboration with Japan Innovation Campus, AlchemistX, and Digital Garage

    Time: October 30, 2024, 5:00–8:00 p.m.

    Description: Explore the intersection of technology, art, and innovation with industry leaders. Meet our panel of experts in design thinking, food engineering, space tech, sustainable materials, museum tech, AI, and more. 

    Key discussion topics:

    • Emerging technologies driving future products
    • The role of creativity in tech-driven innovation
    • How companies are leveraging tech to create more sustainable, user-centric products

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  • Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software under investigation by federal safety regulator

    Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software under investigation by federal safety regulator

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    The top U.S. automotive safety regulator has opened a new investigation into Tesla’s so-called “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” software after four reported crashes in low-visibility situations — including one where a pedestrian was killed.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation announced Friday that it is probing the driver assistance system to find out whether it can “detect and respond appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions,” such as “sun glare, fog, or airborne dust.” The agency also wants to know if other crashes have occurred in these conditions beyond the ones that were reported.

    The investigation comes just one week after Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed the prototype of his company’s “CyberCab,” a two-seater car that he said is supposed to serve as a robotaxi, following years of unmet promises. Musk also claimed at the event that Tesla’s Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV would be able to operate without supervision in California and Texas at some point in 2025, though he did not offer any details about how that will happen.

    In April, NHTSA closed a nearly three-year probe into Autopilot, the less-capable driver assistance software that Tesla offers, after investigating almost 500 crashes where the system was active. The agency found 13 of those crashes were fatal. At the same time that it closed that probe, NHTSA opened a new investigation into the recall fix that Tesla had issued to address problems with Autopilot.

    Tesla’s software also faces other legal threats. The Department of Justice is investigating the claims Tesla has made about its driver-assistance features, and the California Department of Motor Vehicles has accused Tesla of inflating the software’s capabilities.

    The company also faces a number of lawsuits over Autopilot crashes. It settled one of the most high-profile cases that was set to go to trial earlier this year. The company has said in the past that it makes drivers aware they are supposed to constantly monitor Full Self-Driving and Autopilot and be ready to take over at any moment.

    The new investigation announced Friday specifically calls out four crashes where the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system was active, all occurring between November 2023 and May 2024.

    The November 2023 crash happened in Rimrock, AZ. It involved a Model Y that struck and killed a pedestrian. Another crash happened in January 2024 in Nipton, CA, where a Model 3 crashed into another car on the highway during a dust storm. In March 2024 a Model 3 crashed into another car on the highway in Red Mills, VA during cloudy conditions. And in May 2024, a Model 3 crashed into a stationary object on a rural road in Collinsville, OH in foggy conditions. NHTSA noted that someone was injured in the May 2024 crash.

    NHTSA’s defects investigations team splits its probes into four levels: Defect Petition, Preliminary Evaluation, Recall Query and Engineering Analysis. The agency classified this new investigation as a preliminary evaluation. NHTSA normally tries to complete these types of probes within eight months.

    This story has been updated with more details from NHTSA’s filings.

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  • Anthropic CEO goes full techno-optimist in 15,000-word paean to AI

    Anthropic CEO goes full techno-optimist in 15,000-word paean to AI

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    Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wants you to know he’s not an AI “doomer.”

    At least, that’s my read of the “mic drop” of a ~15,000 word essay Amodei published to his blog late Friday. (I tried asking Anthropic’s Claude chatbot whether it concurred, but alas, the post exceeded the free plan’s length limit.)

    In broad strokes, Amodei paints a picture of a world in which all AI risks are mitigated and the tech delivers heretofore unrealized prosperity, social uplift, and abundance. He asserts this isn’t to minimize AI’s downsides — at the start, Amodei takes aim at (without naming names) AI companies overselling and generally propagandizing their tech’s capabilities. But one might argue — and this writer does — that the essay leans too far in the techno-utopianist direction, making claims simply unsupported by fact.

    Amodei believes that “powerful AI” will arrive as soon as 2026. (By powerful AI, he means AI that’s “smarter than a Nobel Prize winner” in fields like biology and engineering, and that can perform tasks like proving unsolved mathematical theorems and writing “extremely good novels.”) This AI, Amodei says, will be able to control any software or hardware imaginable, including industrial machinery, and essentially do most jobs humans do today — but better.

    “[This AI] can engage in any actions, communications, or remote operations enabled by this interface, including taking actions on the internet, taking or giving directions to humans, ordering materials, directing experiments, watching videos, making videos, and so on,” Amodei writes. “It does not have a physical embodiment (other than living on a computer screen), but it can control existing physical tools, robots, or laboratory equipment through a computer; in theory it could even design robots or equipment for itself to use.”

    Lots would have to happen to reach that point. Even the best AI today can’t “think” in the way we understand it; models don’t so much reason as replicate patterns they’ve observed in their training data. Assuming for the purpose of Amodei’s argument that the AI industry does soon “solve” human-like thought, would robotics catch up to allow future AI to perform lab experiments, manufacture its own tools, and so on? The brittleness of today’s robots suggest it’s a long shot.

    Yet Amodei is optimistic — very optimistic.

    He believes AI could, in the 7-12 years, help treat nearly all infectious diseases, eliminate most cancers, cure genetic disorders, and halt Alzheimer’s at the earliest stages. In the next 5-10 years, Amodei thinks that conditions like PTSD, depression, schizophrenia, and addiction will be cured with AI-concocted drugs, or genetically prevented via embryo screening (a controversial opinion), and that AI-developed drugs will also exist that “tune cognitive function and emotional state” to “get [our brains] to behave a bit better and have a more fulfilling day-to-day experience.”

    Should this come to pass, Amodei expects the average human lifespan to double to 150.

    “My basic prediction is that AI-enabled biology and medicine will allow us to compress the progress that human biologists would have achieved over the next 50-100 years into 5-10 years,” he writes. “I’ll refer to this as the ‘compressed 21st century’: the idea that after powerful AI is developed, we will in a few years make all the progress in biology and medicine that we would have made in the whole 21st century.”

    These seem like stretches, too, considering that AI hasn’t radically transformed medicine yet — and may not for quite some time, or ever. Even if AI does reduce the labor and cost involved in getting a drug into pre-clinical testing, it may fail at a later stage, like human-designed drugs. Consider that the AI deployed in healthcare today has been shown to be biased and risky in a number of ways, or otherwise incredibly difficult to implement in existing clinical and lab settings. Suggesting all these issues and more will be solved roughly within the decade seems, well… aspirational, in a word.

    But Amodei doesn’t stop there.

    AI could solve world hunger, he claims. It could turn the tide on climate change. And it could transform the economies in most developing countries; Amodei believes AI can bring the per-capita GDP of sub-Saharan Africa ($1,701 as of 2022) to the per-capita GDP of China ($12,720 in 2022) in 5-10 years.

    These are bold pronouncements, to put it mildly, although likely to be familiar to anyone who’s listened to followers in the “Singularity” movement, which expects similar results. To Amodei’s credit, he acknowledges that they’d require “a huge effort in global health, philanthropy, [and] political advocacy.”

    Amodei posits this advocacy will occur because it’s in the world’s best economic interest. But I’ll point out that this hasn’t been the case historically in one important aspect: many of the workers responsible for labeling the datasets used to train AI are paid far below minimum wage while their employers reap tens of millions — or hundreds of millions — of dollars from the results.

    Amodei touches, briefly, on the dangers of AI to civil society, proposing that a coalition of democracies secure AI’s supply chain and block adversaries who intend to use AI toward harmful ends from the means of powerful AI production (semiconductors, etc.). In the same breath, he proposes that AI — in the right hands — could be used to “undermine repressive governments” and even reduce bias in the legal system. (AI has historically exacerbated biases in the legal system.)

    “A truly mature and successful implementation of AI has the potential to reduce bias and be fairer for everyone,” Amodei writes.

    So, if AI takes over every conceivable job and does it better, won’t that leave humans in a lurch, economically speaking? Amodei admits that, yes, it would — and that at that point society would have to have conversation about “how the economy should be organized.” But he proposes no solution.

    “People do want a sense of accomplishment, even a sense of competition, and in a post-AI world it will be perfectly possible to spend years attempting some very difficult task with a complex strategy, similar to what people do today when they embark on research projects, try to become Hollywood actors, or found companies,” he writes. “The facts that (a) an AI somewhere could in principle do this task better, and (b) this task is no longer an economically rewarded element of a global economy, don’t seem to me to matter very much.”

    Amodei suggests, in wrapping up, that AI is simply an accelerator — that humans naturally trend toward “rule of law, democracy, and Enlightenment values.” But in doing so, he ignores AI’s many costs. AI is projected to have — and already has — a massive environmental impact. And it’s creating inequality. Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and others have noted the labor disruptions caused by AI could further concentrate wealth in the hands of companies and leave workers with less power than ever.

    These companies include Anthropic, as loath as Amodei is to admit it. (He mentions Anthropic only six times throughout his essay.) Anthropic is a business, after all — one reportedly worth close to $40 billion. And those benefiting from its AI tech are, by and large, corporations whose only responsibility is to increase returns to shareholders — not better humanity.

    The essay seems cynically timed, in fact, given that Anthropic is said to be in the process of raising billions of dollars. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman published a similarly technopotimist manifesto shortly before OpenAI closed a $6.5 billion funding round.

    Perhaps it’s coincidental. Then again, Amodei isn’t a philanthropist. He, like any CEO, has a product to sell. It just so happens that his product is going to save the world (or so he’d have you believe) — and those who believe otherwise risk being left behind.

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  • Here’s the full list of 39 US AI startups that have raised $100M or more in 2024

    Here’s the full list of 39 US AI startups that have raised $100M or more in 2024

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    For some, AI fatigue is real — but clearly venture investors haven’t grown tired of the category.

    AI deals continued to dominate venture funding during the third quarter. AI companies raised $18.9 billion in Q3, according to Crunchbase data. That figure represents 28% of all venture funding.

    The third quarter also saw the close of the largest venture deal of all time: OpenAI raised a behemoth $6.6 billion round. OpenAI’s deal was one of six AI funding rounds over $1 billion in 2024.

    Here are the U.S.-based AI companies that raised $100 million or more so far in 2024:

    October

    • EvenUp, an AI-powered legaltech company, raised a $135 million Series D round led by Bain Capital Ventures with participation from SignalFire and Lightspeed, among others. The October 8 round valued the startup at $1 billion.
    • Berkeley-based KoBold Metals raised $491.5 million in a recent venture round. The investors aren’t disclosed, but in the past, the company raised from VCs including Bond and Andreessen Horowitz.
    • AI-powered software development platform Poolside closed a $500 million Series B round on October 2. The round was led by Bain Capital Ventures with participation from Redpoint, StepStone, and Nvidia, among others. The round values the company at $3 billion.
    • OpenAI announced its highly anticipated venture round on October 2. The $6.6 billion round was the largest venture round of all time and valued the company at $157 billion. Thrive Capital led the round and was joined by other investors, including Tiger Global and SoftBank.

    September

    • Enterprise search startup Glean announced its second funding round of 2024 on September 10. The company raised a $260 million Series E round that valued it at $4.5 billion, marking an 87.5% increase in valuation since its February round.
    • Safe Superintelligence, an AI research lab founded by former OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever and AI investor Daniel Gross. It announced a $1 billion raise at a $4 billion valuation on September 4. Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia and DST Global participated in the round, among others.

    August

    • AI coding startup Magic raised its second mega-round of the year on August 29. The San Francisco-based company raised $320 million in a Series C round. CapitalG, Sequoia and Jane Street Capital participated in the round, among others. The company last raised a $117 million Series B in February.
    • General Catalyst led the $150 million Series C round into Codeium, an AI-powered coding platform, that closed on August 29. The round also included Kleiner Perkins and Greenoaks and valued Codeium at $1.2 billion.
    • DevRev, which makes AI support agents, garnered a $1.1 billion valuation after its sizable early-stage raise. The Silicon Valley-based company raised a $100 million Series A round that included investors like Khosla Ventures, Mayfield and Param Hansa Values. The company was founded in 2020.
    • San Francisco-based Abnormal Security raised $250 million for its AI-driven email security company. This funding round was led by Wellington Management with participation from Menlo Ventures, Greylock and Insight Partners. The company is valued at more than $5 billion.
    • Groq — not to be confused with Grok — announced a $640 million Series D round on August 5 led by BlackRock. The AI chip startup also received investment from Type One Ventures, Verdure Capital Management and Neuberger Berman, among others. The company is valued at more than $3 billion.

    July

    • Renowned AI researcher Fei-Fei Li’s startup World Labs raised a $100 million round in July, sources told TechCrunch. The startup is already valued at more than $1 billion according to the Financial Times. World Labs is looking to build AI models that can accurately estimate the three-dimensional physicality of real-world objects.
    • Legal tech company Harvey announced a $100 million Series C round on July 23. The round was led by Google Ventures, with participation from OpenAI, Kleiner Perkins and Sequoia. This round values the San Francisco-based company at $1.5 billion.
    • Hebbia, $130 million: Andreessen Horowitz led the round for Hebbia that closed July 8. The startup, which uses generative AI to search large documents, also raised money from Peter Thiel, Index Ventures and Google Ventures and garnered a $700 million valuation.
    • Skild AI, $300 million: Pittsburgh-based Skild AI announced a $300 million Series A round on July 9 that valued the company at $1.5 billion. The round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Coatue and Jeff Bezos’ Bezos Expeditions with participation from Sequoia, Menlo Ventures and General Catalyst, among others. Skild AI builds tech to power robots.

    June

    • Bright Machines, $106 million: BlackRock led a $106 million Series C round into Bright Machines that closed on June 25. Nvidia, Microsoft and Eclipse Ventures, among others, also participated. The startup makes both smart robotics and AI-driven software and has raised more than $437 million in total funding.
    • Etched.ai, $120 million: San Francisco-based Etched.ai raised a $120 million Series A round on June 25. The round was led by Primary Venture Partners and Positive Sum with participation from Two Sigma Ventures, Peter Thiel and Kyle Vogt, among others. Etched.ai is working to make chips that can run AI models faster and cheaper than GPUs.
    • EvolutionaryScale, $142 million: New York-based EvolutionaryScale is developing biological AI models for therapeutic design. It raised a $142 million seed round that closed on June 25. The round was led by Lux Capital, former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, an angel investor and former head of AI at Y Combinator. The company was founded in 2023.
    • AKASA, $120 million: Healthcare revenue cycle automation platform Akasa announced a $120 million round on June 18. The San Francisco-based startup has collected $205 million in total funding and has raised from investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Costanoa Ventures and Bond in prior rounds.
    • AlphaSense, $650 million: New York-based AlphaSense raised a $650 million Series F round that was announced on June 11. The round was led by Viking Global Investors and BDT & MSD Partners with participation from CapitalG, SoftBank Vision Fund and Goldman Sachs, among others. AlphaSense is a market intelligence platform founded in 2008. The company has raised more than $1.4 billion in venture funding and was most recently valued at $4 billion.

    May

    • xAI, $6 billion: Elon Musk’s xAI raised a jaw-dropping $6 billion Series B round on May 31 from investors, including Sequoia, Valor Equity Partners and Fidelity, among others. The startup is building an AI platform that will “accelerate human scientific discovery” and is valued at an equally stunning $24 billion.
    • Scale AI, $1 billion: Scale AI, a startup that provides data-labeling services to companies for training AI models, raised $1 billion in May. The Series F round was led by Accel with participation from Tiger Global, Spark Capital and Amazon, among others. San Francisco-based Scale AI has raised more than $1.6 billion in total and is currently valued at nearly $14 billion.
    • Suno, $125 million: AI-music creation platform Suno raised $125 million in a Series B round that closed on May 21. The round values the Cambridge, Massachusetts, startup at $500 million. Founder Collective, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Matrix participated in the round in addition to former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and former head of AI at Y Combinator Daniel Gross.
    • Weka, $140 million: Silicon Valley-based Weka created an AI-native data platform and raised $140 million in a Series E round that closed on May 13. The funding was led by Valor Equity Partners with participation from Qualcomm Ventures, Nvidia and Hitachi Ventures, among others. The startup was valued at $1.6 billion.
    • CoreWeave, $1.1 billion: New Jersey-based GPU infrastructure provider CoreWeave raised $1.1 billion in a Series C round that closed on May 1. Coatue led the round with participation from Fidelity, Altimeter Capital and Magnetar Capital, among others. CoreWeave was launched in 2017 and is valued at $19 billion.

    April

    • Blaize, $106 million: AI computing platform company Blaize raised $106 million in a Series D round that was announced on April 29. The round had participation from investors, including Temasek, Franklin Templeton and Bess Ventures, among others. The company was founded in 2010 and has raised $242 million.
    • Augment, $227 million: Palo Alto-based Augment raised $227 million for its AI coding assistance startup. The startup’s Series B round was announced on April 24. Lightspeed Venture Partners, Index Ventures and Sutter Hill Ventures participated in the round, which valued the startup just shy of $1 billion.
    • Cognition, $175 million: Founders Fund led applied AI lab startup Cognition’s $175 million round that closed on April 24. This round came just about a month after the firm raised a $21 million Series A round in March from Founders Fund and numerous other investors, including Ramp co-founder Eric Glyman, Stripe co-founders Patrick and John Collison, and DoorDash co-founder Tony Xu. The company was founded in November 2023 and is already valued at nearly $2 billion.
    • Xaira Therapeutics, $1 billion: San Francisco-based AI drug discovery startup Xaira Therapeutics raised a $1 billion Series A round. Foresite Capital and ARCH Venture Partners led the round that was announced on April 23. Sequoia, NEA and Lux Capital participated in the round, among many others.
    • Cyera, $300 million: Coatue led the recent $300 million Series C round into AI-powered data security platform Cyera that closed on April 9. The round valued New York-based startup at $1.4 billion. Sequoia, Redpoint and Accel also participated in the round, among others.

    March

    • Celestial AI, $175 million: Celestial AI, founded in 2020, is building an optical interconnect technology platform for data centers and AI solutions and raised a $175 million Series C round on March 27, which brought its total funding amount to $338 million. The round was led by Thomas Tull’s US Innovative Technology Fund with participation from M Ventures, Temasek and Tyche Partners, among others.
    • FundGuard, $100 million: FundGuard is a New York-based startup offering an AI-powered investment accounting operating system that raised $100 million at a $400 million valuation. The Series C round closed on March 25 and was led by Key1 Capital with participation from Hamilton Lane, Blumberg Capital and Team8, among others.
    • Together AI, $106 million: Salesforce Ventures led Together AI’s $106 million Series A round that valued the company at $1.2 billion. Together AI is a platform designed to help create infrastructure and open source generative AI for developing AI models. NEA, Kleiner Perkins and Lux Capital also participated in the round, among others. The round was announced on March 13.
    • Zephyr AI, $111 million: Fairfax Station, Virginia-based Zephyr AI raised a $111 million Series A round that closed on March 13. Revolution Growth, Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, EPIQ Capital Group and investor Jeff Skoll all participated in the round. The startup, founded in 2020, uses AI to enhance drug discovery and precision medicine. It has raised $129.5 million total so far.

    February

    • Glean, $203 million: AI-driven enterprise search startup Glean raised $203 million in a February 27 round that valued the startup at $2.2 billion. The Series D round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Kleiner Perkins with participation from Sequoia and Databricks Ventures, among others. The Silicon Valley-based startup has raised more than $350 million in venture funding and its founder, Arvind Jain, was recently interviewed on TechCrunch’s Found podcast.
    • Figure, $675 million: Silicon Valley-based AI robotics startup Figure raised a $675 million Series B round that closed on February 24. The round valued the startup at nearly $2.7 billion. Nvidia, OpenAI and Microsoft participated in the round, among others. The startup was founded in 2022 and has raised more than $850 million.
    • Abridge, $150 million: Pittsburgh-based Abridge, which uses AI to transcribe medical conversations, raised a $150 million Series C round that closed on February 23. The round was led by Redpoint and Lightspeed Venture Partners with participation from USV, IVP and Spark Capital, among others. This round brings the six-year-old company’s valuation to $850 million.
    • Recogni, $102 million: The company designs high-output but low-power AI interface solutions, and it raised a $102 million Series C round on February 20. The round was led by GreatPoint Ventures and Celesta Capital. Pledge Ventures, Mayfield and DNS Capital also contributed to the round.
    • Lambda, $320 million: San Francisco-based deep learning infrastructure company Lambda raised $320 million in a Series C round that was announced on February 15. The round was led by Thomas Tull’s US Innovative Technology Fund with participation from Gradient Ventures, Mercato Partners and T. Rowe Price, among others. Lambda has raised more than $900 million in venture capital and was most recently valued at $1.5 billion.
    • Magic, $117 million: AI coding startup Magic raised a $117 million Series B round that closed on February 12. The round was led by NFDG Ventures with participation from CapitalG and angel investor Elad Gil. The San Francisco-based company has raised more than $145 million in total capital.

    January

    • Kore.ai, $150 million: A startup building conversational AI for enterprises, Kore.ai raised a $150 million Series D round that was announced on January 30. FTV Capital led the round into the Orlando, Florida-based company. Nvidia, Vistara Growth, and NextEquity Partners participated as well, among others. Kore.ai was founded in 2013 and has raised more than $223 million in funding.

    This piece was originally published on July 13, 2024, and was updated on September 9, 2024 and October 11, 2024, to include more deals.

    This piece has been updated to correct Glean’s current valuation.

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  • Night-vision monocular reveals dark secrets in “true full color”

    Night-vision monocular reveals dark secrets in “true full color”

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    Duovox has followed its successful Kickstarter for a military-grade night-vision monocular with a Pro version that promises to bring the hidden darkness into “true full color.” The nocturnal adventure gadget is also joined by a teeny smartphone camera.

    The latest handheld night-vision monocular from Duovox sports a 60% larger sensor than the Ultra before it. That shapes up as a 1/1.79-inch CMOS image sensor with 3.75 x 3.75 µm pixels that’s paired with a F/0.8 “super aperture” glass lens – “capturing more light, reducing noise, and enhancing image quality.”

    Rather than employing AI to render the colors, Duovox uses proprietary “true-full-color technology” – though makes no effort to explain how that works – for a claimed 99.99% color accuracy, as well as “clear, sharp visuals in motion.”

    The Duovox Ultra Pro can stream live footage over Wi-Fi or transfer via USB-C
    The Duovox Ultra Pro can stream live footage over Wi-Fi or transfer via USB-C

    Duovox

    The system captures footage in 1080p resolution, and is able to reveal the secrets of a dark scene down to 0.0001 lux. It comes with the same 850-nm IR illuminator as the Ultra before it, with the option to dial in seven levels of illumination, and boasts an IR range of 800 m (more than 2,600 ft) IR range for human and animal subjects, though the shapes of buildings could be revealed as far as a kilometer (3,280 ft) away. Duovox reports that the Ultra Pro also benefits from 10x optical focus plus 10x digital zoom to help bring distant objects closer.

    Opposite the business end of the monocular is a 2-inch IPS display for viewing the output at 480×360 resolution, though live footage can be streamed over 802.11n Wi-Fi to a smartphone running the Duovox app.

    The monocular is powered by a 6,000-mAh Li-Po battery for up to 10 hours of per-charge use, weighs in at 700 g (24.6 oz), has physical controls up top, is reported dustproof and waterproof, and is fashioned from aluminum alloy and ABS for in-the-field durability. A tripod mount is included for steady shooting.

    The Duovox Vision brings night-vision capabilities to smartphones
    The Duovox Vision brings night-vision capabilities to smartphones

    Duovox

    Launching with the monocular is the teeny Duovox Vision camera module that shares most of the key specs with the Ultra Pro, but is designed to plug into a smartphone’s USB-C port to give the handset powerful night-vision capabilities. It features a 90-degree wide-angle glass lens with a F/0.9 aperture, is powered by the handset’s battery, offers a night-vision range of up to 100 m (328 ft), and tips the scales at just 60 g (2 oz).

    As before, Duovox is crowdfunding production of the Ultra Pro and Vision devices – though has elected to head for Indiegogo this time. Perks for the Ultra Pro currently start at US$99, which includes a protective case and lens cap, a 64-GB media card (up to 512 GB is supported) and more. The Vision camera is also currently pitched at $99.

    The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes to plan with the already funded campaign, shipping for both devices is estimated to start from December. The videos below have more.

    Duovox Ultra Pro: See What Others Can’t at Night in 2K

    Duovox Vision:The world’s smallest full-color digital night vision for Smartphone

    Source: Duovox



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  • Cybertruck Finally Gets Full Self-Driving (Supervised)

    Cybertruck Finally Gets Full Self-Driving (Supervised)

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    A select number of all-electric Tesla Cybertrucks now have the ability to drive on US highways hands-free, after the automaker pushed an update to vehicles this morning. Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy wrote on X that Cybertrucks will be the first Tesla vehicles to receive the “end-to-end on highway” driving feature, which the company says uses a “neural net” to navigate all parts of highway driving.

    “Nice work,” Tesla CEO (and X owner) Elon Musk responded to his AI chief.

    The feature appears to be in “early access,” meaning it’s available only to some Cybertruck owners who purchased the feature. It’s unclear when the automaker will release the feature more widely. Tesla, which disbanded its public relations team in 2021, did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment.

    Tesla owners’ manuals maintain that the full-self-driving feature, or “FSD (Supervised),” should be used only if drivers are paying attention to the road. The feature reportedly turns off if it detects that drivers are looking elsewhere. Critics have argued that Tesla’s marketing incorrectly leads drivers to assume that FSD can truly drive itself and that the automaker hasn’t been proactive in preventing driver misuse.

    Customers who purchased base model Cybertrucks early, at preorder, paid $7,000 for access to the driving feature, with some waiting almost a year for it to be available on their trucks. Tesla owners can now subscribe to the FSD (Supervised) feature at $99 per month.

    One Cybertruck driver reported on X that, based on driving this morning, the feature is “working well.”

    The feature’s introduction is some much-needed good news for the Cybertruck, which has faced a rocky introduction into Tesla’s lineup. The vehicle was delayed for years by the Covid-19 pandemic and by engineering issues. (A leaked “alpha” briefing on the vehicle, first reported by WIRED, found that the truck had serious issues with braking, handling, and noise.)

    The all-electric truck has also been subject to a handful of safety recalls, including one in which the company had to repair or replace accelerator pedals that had gotten stuck.

    As more automakers rush into the electrification race, and Tesla’s huge lead in electric cars has been eroded by other manufacturers, Musk and company seem to believe that “self-driving” features enabled by AI will help Tesla regain its edge. “The value of Tesla overwhelmingly is autonomy,” Musk told investors this summer.

    The US road safety regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has found that Tesla’s Autopilot feature, an older and less sophisticated version of FSD, didn’t sufficiently prevent drivers from misuse—and was involved in 13 fatal crashes between 2018 and 2023. After a years-long investigation into Autopilot, last year Tesla recalled 2 million vehicles with Autopilot. (The automaker said it did not agree with the government’s conclusions.)

    Earlier this year, Tesla settled a lawsuit brought by the family of a Northern California man who died while using Autopilot on his Model X.

    Tesla also faces a class action lawsuit alleging it misled customers who purchased Teslas after Musk promised the cars had everything they needed to drive autonomously. Eight years later, Tesla has made significant improvements to its driverless features and has plans to make big bucks off the feature—but still hasn’t produced self-driving technology.

    That could change this month. Musk has promised that Tesla will unveil a self-driving taxi, calling it a Cybercab, at an event in Southern California on October 10.

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  • The Trumps Have Gone Full Crypto With World Liberty Financial

    The Trumps Have Gone Full Crypto With World Liberty Financial

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    As it turned out, Trump was readily convinced: Despite having previously dismissed bitcoin as a “scam,” Trump has recently taken to pitching himself as the crypto president. In July, speaking to thousands of bitcoiners at a conference in Nashville, Tennessee, Trump promised to turn the US into the “crypto capital of the planet” and establish a national “bitcoin stockpile” if reelected. In a post on X after the speech, Tyler Winklevoss celebrated the former president having been “orange-pilled”—crypto lingo meaning “indoctrinated.”

    Initially, when Eric and Donald Jr. first began to hint at the World Liberty Financial project, there was speculation they were gearing up to launch an official Trump crypto token.

    In the last year, tens of Trump-inspired memecoins have come to market, becoming something of a bellwether for the upcoming election, fluctuating in price along with changes in Trump’s political fortunes. One such token, DJT, issued in early June, surged in price amid rumors that it originated with the Trump family. In a broadcast on X, Martin Shkreli, of “pharma bro” fame, claimed to have created the token in partnership with Barron Trump, the former president’s 18-year-old son. On August 6, the price of DJT sank by 90 percent after large quantities were sold off by an anonymous token holder. “Wasn’t me!” said Shkreli, in an email to WIRED, when asked whether he knew who was responsible for the sell-off. The price of DJT was $0.0002441 per coin on Monday.

    The press office for the Trump campaign did not respond to questions about Barron’s alleged involvement with the DJT token. In a post on X in the leadup to announcing World Liberty Financial, Donald Jr. warned followers to “beware of fake tokens claiming to be part of the Trump project.”

    World Liberty Financial will face steep competition in a DeFi market already crowded with similar services, among them Aave, Compound, Venus Protocol, and others. “DeFi is pretty mature, especially on the over-collateralized side,” says Zach Hamilton, founder of crypto startup Sarcophagus and venture partner at VC firm Venture51.

    But the Trumps need not necessarily do anything novel, if they can capitalize on their mammoth public platform to peddle the new venture. “[World Liberty Financial] is launching with the most free marketing that any crypto company could ever get,” says Hamilton. “Trump is the king of living rent free in people’s minds.”

    Incumbents in the DeFi industry are cautiously optimistic about the prospect of the Trump family’s arrival; at once glad of the publicity and wary of the reputational damage World Liberty Financial could cause if it were to fall on its face, or if a technical snafu were to result in financial losses.

    “I welcome any effort to bring DeFi into the mainstream,” says Brad Harrison, CEO of Venus Protocol. “But like the autopilot in a Tesla, DeFi may give the appearance of something that’s simple, but the inner workings are complex. Without a solid grasp of its nuances in the hands of seasoned technologists and financial engineers, a new platform risks being more of a branding exercise than a substantive and safe contribution to the space.”

    Irrespective of the risk in placing trust in a crypto platform yet to be battle tested, industry enthusiasts are likely to patronize World Liberty Financial if only to signal support for Trump’s political endeavors. “We are definitely dealing with crypto as a right-wing Republican commodity now,” says Jacob Silverman, coauthor of Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud. “The industry is so aligned with the Republican party and they are the biggest donors of any industry this cycle.”

    In the spirit of various British politicians who have retired into crypto positions, World Liberty Financial could represent an attempt by Trump to hedge against a loss in the upcoming election—to set up for himself a fallback gig.

    “Maybe the raucous reception at the crypto conference in Nashville has given him an impression this is the world he wants to be in, because they love him and he can make money,” says Silverman. “For all his faults, he does understand the crowd.”

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  • Why TikTok is full of teleshopping right now

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    If you’ve scrolled through TikTok recently, you might have noticed that it’s not just viral dances, get-ready-with-mes and story-time videos on your For You Page right now. In fact, I rarely scroll through eight or nine TikToks before I come across a live video where I’m being directly sold to. “Caroline! 11 items! I’m gonna have a great time packing up this order,” is the first thing I hear when I open the app today, coming across a livestream of a woman standing in front of a cupboard stacked full of make-up products. She’s streaming on behalf of the make-up brand Made By Mitchell and talking directly to someone who is commenting on the livestream and making purchases. “Seeing as you’ve ordered two of the mystery boxes, I’m going to throw you an extra lip gloss in. Don’t tell anyone,” the streamer continues, talking in a familiar tone to her customer on a live stream that over 200 people are watching.

    It’s an ostensibly retro sales technique, almost identical to what you probably remember of ’90s shopping channel QVC, watching an older relative dial in to buy a discounted kettle or a plant pot. And although live shopping is just taking off in the UK, it’s hardly a niche corner of the internet. In China, in 2023 alone, an estimated $500 billion in goods were sold via livestream on apps, according to the New York Times. And now plenty of businesses in the UK and the U.S. are turning to this sales format via TikTok Shop, the video-sharing app’s ecommerce leg, which is rapidly expanding since it launched in November 2022. According to research, 44 percent of social media users have made a purchase directly through TikTok.

    In fact, some businesses are making hundreds of thousands – even millions – of pounds via live shopping, according to figures shared by TikTok. On their most successful day, Made By Mitchell made $1 million dollars on TikTok, thanks to a 12 hour stream that almost 600,000 viewers tuned into and one product being sold every second, a representative from TikTok Shop told Mashable. Launching in 2020, most of the business’ growth has taken place on TikTok and they recently launched in high-street store Boots. 

    Why your FYP is full of teleshopping

    So what is it about live shopping that appeals right now? “We have a group of people who watch our live videos every single day. There’s an element of people thinking, ‘I just want to be involved with what you’re doing right this second’,” says Josh Reais, Live Sales Host at luxury second-hand fashion company Luxe Collective. 

    Mashable Games

    A big part of live selling on apps like TikTok Shop is the novelty of good old-fashioned bargaining. On Josh’s  daily live streams, viewers will haggle with Reais in the comments, trying to get him to knock £25 off a vintage Louis Vuitton purse. Hosts like Reais tend to use traditional sales techniques and slogans, broadcasting themselves for hours at a time and offering flash sales throughout the stream. All of Luxe Collective’s products are second-hand, which means they offer a more sustainable outlet for their customers’ consumerist tendencies. But this buy-now-buy-quick attitude feels a little at odds with what we know about how Gen-Z (the biggest age demographic on TikTok in 2024) want to shop, as they’re not only often dubbed the most sustainable generation, but as some of the most practical spenders too, with 43 percent cutting back on non-essential spending and 51 percent  choosing to prioritise their finances as a result of rising prices, according to a 2024 report carried out by market research agency Mintel.

    Mashable Light Speed

    SEE ALSO:

    Want to buy that viral TikTok Shop product? Think twice.

    “We’ve never had a shopping experience like this — imagine going into Selfridges and having 400 people standing behind you, cheering you on,” Reais says, although he adds that he isn’t worried about people making irresponsible buying decisions, from both a financial and environmental perspective. “People in the comments will give advice, telling the potential buyer that they own an item and it’s worth it or, on the other hand, that maybe they should wait and make the decision at a later date,” he explains.

    The future of shopping?

    The community that live shopping events create is seemingly at the heart of the success of platforms like TikTok Shop, something that is immediately clear to me when I arrive at a in-person event hosted by TikTok and Luxe Collective and see a group of 15 women excitedly chatting around a table, as though they’ve known each other for years. “Let me guess because I think I’ve nailed some of you,” one woman says as she approaches the table, pointing at some of the people who are sitting down and shouting out names. I quickly realise that these women have all met in person less than half an hour ago, but are acquainted on a daily basis in the comments section of Luxe Collective’s live shopping events. The reason these women all get on so well is because they have a shared interest, one that they feel very strongly about. In their case, it’s luxury fashion, but live shopping platforms provide spaces for enthusiasts with varied interests.

    Another platform that is becoming increasingly popular for live shopping is Whatnot, a large livestream shopping platform in North America and Europe. General Manager at Whatnot, Daniel Fisher, says that many of their users see themselves as collectors, rather than shoppers: “Our focus is helping buyers and sellers discover things that they’re passionate about, be it collectible cards, trainers, fashion, vintage.”

    SEE ALSO:

    60+ best back-to-school deals for students on a budget

    With high street shopping becoming continuously less popular and most people making most of their purchases from fast fashion websites or big online retailers like Amazon (65 percent of UK shoppers agree that shopping online is more convenient than in-store), live shopping appears to offer a middle ground between the two, so its appeal is hardly surprising. “There’s been this anonymity to ecommerce for decades and live shopping has completely changed that because you’re able to interact with the sellers and other buyers,” Fisher says. “It’s a combination of ecommerce and that in-person shopping element which I think people probably miss.”

    Plus, live shopping offers something in-person shopping generally doesn’t: hundreds of people who are just as interested in the thing you’re about to purchase as you are. “It is a win buying something that big: buying it is a huge momentous occasion and being able to celebrate that with 400 people is amazing,” Reais says, speaking about the people who tune into Luxe Collective’s streams.

    And what’s crucial is sales hosts like Reais aren’t just salespeople, but performers. And these streams aren’t just shopping experiences, but forms of entertainment. “Our consumers spend about 80 minutes a day watching live streams on Whatnot,” Fisher says. Compare that to Netflix subscribers, who spend an average of 192 minutes watching TV series and movies on a platform, it’s clear that a lot of people see live shopping as an alternative form of entertainment to TV or other social media sites, rather than just a means to an end. “In China, the new generation of influencers are actually set live stream sellers,” Fisher says.

    So with the celebrities of the future set to be teleshoppers, it’s difficult to decide whether live shopping feels more nostalgic or dystopian. Either way, platforms like TikTok Shop and Whatnot set to grow exponentially, so don’t be surprised if in the near future you find yourself lost in the comments of a livestream, haggling down the price of a toaster, just for the thrill of it.

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    Social Media
    TikTok



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