GM Tech leadership shakeup continues on software team
General Motors’ software team has lost three top executives in the last month as the automaker takes over a new chief product officer and consolidates its disparate technology businesses into one organization. Baris Cetinok, senior vice president of software and services product management, will be leaving the company, effective December 12, the company confirmed to […]
Breaking the boom in the Nordic startup ecosystem
The always fun-filled Slush conference took place in Helsinki last week and, as always, was a show of the growing power of the European ecosystem. Scandinavia in particular is having a moment, this time led by Swedish vibe-coding darlings Loveable. Loveable is seen as an example of a growing ecosystem of successes. Although older names, […]
Bug in jury system used in several US states exposes sensitive personal data
Several public websites designed to help courts in the United States and Canada manage potential jurors’ personal information had simple security flaws that could easily leak sensitive data such as names and home addresses, TechCrunch has learned exclusively. A security researcher, who requested anonymity for this story, contacted TechCrunch for details on the easily exploitable […]
Uber and WeRide robotaxi services in Abu Dhabi officially go driverless
A year after launching a commercial robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi, Chinese self-driving technology company WeRide and partner Uber can finally call the service driverless. The companies said the commercial robotaxi service, which will no longer have a human safety operator behind the wheel, will be open to the public and will start on a […]
Why “hold forever” investors catch venture capital “zombies”
Italian company Bending Spoons had been operating largely under the radar until last month. Within 48 hours, the company announced its acquisition of AOL and a major $270 million raise, quadrupling its valuation to $11 billion from the $2.55 billion it set in early 2024. Bending Spoons has grown rapidly by acquiring struggling technology brands […]
OpenAI and Perplexity are launching AI shopping assistants, but competing startups aren’t keen on it
With holiday shopping right around the corner, both OpenAI and Perplexity this week announced AI shopping capabilities that integrate with existing chatbots to help users research potential purchases. These tools are very similar to each other. OpenAI suggests that users can ask ChatGPT for help finding “a new gaming-friendly laptop with a 15-inch screen or […]
Find Your Grind raises $5 million to grow platform that lets students explore unique career paths
If you’re a fan of the early 2000s punk scene, you may know Nick Gross, the drummer for the band Goldfinger. Now, he helps young people pursue their passions through his career exploration platform, Find Your Grind. The platform focuses on alternative professions not typically emphasized in schools, such as pop-punk band members, content creators, […]
China’s Pony AI plans to triple global robotaxis fleet by end of 2026
Chinese self-driving car technology company Pony.ai said on Tuesday it plans to triple the size of its robotaxi fleet by the end of next year, as its growth pace and aspirations accelerate. The company, which currently has about 961 robotaxis, announced this goal during its third quarter results. Pony.ai aims to have a fleet of […]
Spotify reportedly plans to raise prices in the US in the first quarter of next year
Spotify plans to increase subscription prices in the US in the first quarter of next year, according to a new report in the Financial Times. This move marks the streaming service’s first price increase in the U.S. since July 2024. The company recently raised prices in several other countries, including the UK, Switzerland and Australia. […]
Google teams up with Accel to explore India’s next AI breakout
Google has partnered with Accel to discover and fund early-stage AI startups in India in a first-of-its-kind collaboration for the Google AI Futures Fund, launched earlier this year. On Tuesday, Accel and Google announced a partnership to co-invest up to $2 million in each startup through Accel’s Atoms program, with each company contributing up to […]