AI Startups
Databricks hits $188B valuation, extending its run as AI’s favorite second act
Databricks on Thursday announced a new round of funding that values the company at $188 billion .
TechCrunch
Jul 17, 2026·1 min read
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AI Startups
60 articles in this category
AI Startups
Apple's Lawsuit Threatens to Disrupt OpenAI's IPO Plans
Apple's trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI may impact the company's planned IPO.
TechCrunch
Jul 17, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Parents want safer phones for kids. These companies are answering the call.
As parents become increasingly concerned about the potential dangers of unrestricted smartphone access for children, a growing number of companies are developing devices specifically designed for kids.
TechCrunch
Jul 17, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
General Compute secures $400M loan for AI inference chips
General Compute lands $400M loan from Upper90 to expand AI inference cloud services with SambaNova chips.
TechCrunch
Jul 17, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
xAI Sues User Accused of Using Grok to Generate CSAM
xAI filed a lawsuit against a user accused of using Grok to create non-consensual sexualized images of adults and minors.
Ars Technica
Jul 16, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Former OpenAI Exec Ryan Beiermeister Joins Founders Fund as Partner
Ryan Beiermeister, ex-OpenAI VP of Product Policy, joins Founders Fund as a partner, focusing on AI infrastructure and agentic systems.
TechCrunch
Jul 16, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Here’s Why Anthropic Is Pushing States to Regulate AI Faster
Anthropic threw its support behind the first wave of frontier AI safety laws in the United States last year, securing new transparency requirements in California and New York that much of Silicon Valley fought against,…
Wired
Jul 16, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Fora hits unicorn status with $60M raise for AI-powered travel platform
Travel agency Fora raises $60M Series D, valued at $1B, to expand AI assistant and platform growth
TechCrunch
Jul 16, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Musk's xAI Sues User for Alleged Misuse of Grok to Create Child Abuse Material
xAI sues South Carolina man for allegedly using Grok to create child sexual abuse material.
The Guardian Technology
Jul 16, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Anthropic's Claude Corps will pay $85,000 to 1,000 early-career professionals - apply now
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNet
Jul 16, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Former Ultrahuman Hardware VP Raises $5.5M for AI Control Devices
Aina, a Bengaluru- and San Francisco-based startup, raises $5.5M to develop devices that control AI agents, not just record users.
TechCrunch
Jul 16, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Gay Men Flocked to Goose for Friendship. Some Still Feel Excluded
When Erick Hall heard that Goose , a new “anti-algorithm” dating app , was less focused on hookups, he was drawn to its mission.
Wired
Jul 16, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Applied Computing raises $20M for AI model to optimize oil and gas plant operations
Applied Computing secures $20M Series A to develop AI model for oil, gas, and petrochemical industry
TechCrunch
Jul 16, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Lululemon invests in $30M Series A for nylon recycling startup Syntetica
Lululemon backs French startup Syntetica's $30M Series A to recycle nylon waste.
TechCrunch
Jul 16, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
xAI Sues Man for Using Grok to Generate CSAM 'Deepfakes'
xAI sues South Carolina man for allegedly using Grok AI chatbot to generate child sexual abuse material.
The Verge
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Neko Health Secures $700M in Series C Funding
Neko Health raises $700M for body-scanning and health assessment technology
TechCrunch
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Cohere VP: Enterprise AI sovereignty requires control of full agent stack
Cohere VP Rachad Alao says enterprises need control over entire AI agent stack for sovereignty
VentureBeat
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Anthropic and Blackstone Launch $1.5B AI Implementation Company
Anthropic and Blackstone launch Ode, a $1.5 billion AI implementation company to help businesses adopt AI models.
TechCrunch
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Realta Fusion to build research facility at former hot dog factory in Wisconsin
Realta Fusion chooses old Oscar Meyer factory in Madison, Wisconsin for its research and development facility.
TechCrunch
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Indian AI Coding Startup Emergent Reaches $1.5 Billion Valuation
Emergent raises $130M in Series C funding at $1.5B valuation, a five-fold jump in six months.
TechCrunch
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Oak Emerges with $60M to Tackle AI-Driven Identity Management
Israeli startup Oak launches with $60M in funding to unify identity management across organizations.
TechCrunch
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
SpaceX vet raises $65M to modernize wire harness production
Senra CEO Jordan Black raised $65M to automate wire harness production, a process unchanged since the Cold War era.
TechCrunch
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Spotify Founder Daniel Ek's Neko Health Expands to US
Neko Health, founded by Spotify's Daniel Ek, raises $700M to bring body-scanning clinics to the US.
The Verge
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
OpenAI Staffers Are Funding a Rival Super PAC to Take on Their Boss
A group of rank-and-file OpenAI employees have donated more than $215,000 to a super PAC pushing for stricter regulations on frontier AI labs.
Wired
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
OpenAI Researcher Miles Wang in Talks to Launch $2B AI Drug Discovery Startup
Miles Wang, OpenAI researcher, is leaving to launch AI drug discovery startup with $2B valuation and $200M funding talks.
TechCrunch
Jul 15, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro smartwatch drops to $69
Budget-friendly smartwatch CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro with 1.43-inch OLED display is now $69 at Amazon.
The Verge
Jul 14, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
OpenAI disputes Apple's trade secret lawsuit allegations
OpenAI pushes back against Apple's trade secret lawsuit, saying it lacks merit.
TechCrunch
Jul 14, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
OpenAI Reportedly Planning ChatGPT Smart Speaker Release
OpenAI's first device may be a smart speaker that interacts with ChatGPT, according to a Bloomberg report.
The Verge
Jul 14, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Anthropic's Latest Ad Sparks Unease with Dark Imagery and Dystopian Tone
Anthropic's new ad, 'There's hope in hard questions,' uses unsettling imagery and a doomer-ist tone, sparking criticism from viewers.
TechCrunch
Jul 14, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Hinge Founder Justin McLeod Raises $18M for AI Dating Service Overtone
Hinge founder Justin McLeod secures $18 million funding for Overtone, an AI-powered dating service focused on curated introductions.
TechCrunch
Jul 14, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Reflection AI signs $1B compute deal with Nebius
Reflection AI secures $1 billion compute deal with Nebius for access to Nvidia's latest chips.
TechCrunch
Jul 14, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
EverQuest's devoted fans lead its revival with Legends
EverQuest, a pioneering MMORPG, is reimagined in Legends, set to release July 28th.
The Verge
Jul 14, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Pinwheel launches retro-style landline phone for kids
Pinwheel introduces Pinwheel Home, a kid-friendly landline phone for ages 5-10, promoting voice calls and limited screen time.
TechCrunch
Jul 14, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
PixVerse raises $439M, surpasses $2B valuation
Singapore-based PixVerse raises $439M in Series C extension, pushing valuation past $2B.
TechCrunch
Jul 14, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Nous Research in talks for new funding at $1.5B valuation
Nous Research, maker of open-source Hermes agent, seeks $75M in funding at $1.5B valuation led by Robot Ventures and USV.
TechCrunch
Jul 13, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Turing Award winner Rich Sutton launches Oak Lab for autonomous AI agents
Richard Sutton, 2024 Turing Award winner, launches Oak Lab to build AI agents that learn continuously from their environment.
The Decoder
Jul 13, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
General Fusion Soars in Debut as First Publicly Traded Fusion Company
General Fusion begins trading on Nasdaq under ticker GFUZ, becoming the first publicly listed fusion power company.
TechCrunch
Jul 13, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
TV Time app shut down prompts founder to build new home for fans
TV Time's founder creates Bingers, a new TV show tracking app, after 25,000 users petition against its closure.
TechCrunch
Jul 13, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Anthropic localizes Claude pricing for India, its second-largest market
Anthropic starts offering rupee-denominated pricing for Claude in India, its biggest market outside the US.
TechCrunch
Jul 13, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Anthropic extends free access to Claude Fable 5 for subscribers
Anthropic keeps Claude Fable 5 in subscription plans through July 19, 2026, amid pricing pressure from OpenAI's GPT-5.6 Sol.
The Decoder
Jul 13, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Prime Intellect Releases Verifiers v1: Composable Tasksets, Harnesses, and Runtimes for Agentic RL Training and Evaluations
Prime Intellect launched verifiers 0.2.0 .
MarkTechPost
Jul 13, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
DeepSeek Cuts Prices 75%, But the 100x Problem Remains
DeepSeek slashes V4-Pro model prices by 75%, but cheaper models don't automatically translate to healthier margins for enterprise AI vendors and developers.
VentureBeat
Jul 12, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Reed Jobs on Yosemite's Biotech Push
Reed Jobs' Yosemite venture firm accelerates biotech efforts with AI integration.
TechCrunch
Jul 12, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
OpenAI shifts focus to families as ChatGPT user base ages
OpenAI is hiring a product manager to build family-focused experiences, signaling a shift towards households beyond individual users.
TechCrunch
Jul 11, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
OpenAI scrambles to fix ChatGPT Work UX and cost issues
OpenAI acknowledges significant issues with ChatGPT Work and GPT-5.6 Sol, including excessive compute usage and data deletion.
The Decoder
Jul 11, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
OpenAI's Head of Safety Systems Departs Amid Reorganization
OpenAI's head of safety systems, Johannes Heidecke, is leaving the company amid a reorganization that integrates safety and research teams.
Wired
Jul 11, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Phia accused of 'cookie stuffing' in affiliate marketing scheme
Shopping startup Phia, co-founded by Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, accused of 'cookie stuffing' to earn commissions on purchases it didn't generate.
TechCrunch
Jul 11, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Toni Schneider takes permanent role as Bluesky CEO
Toni Schneider, former Automattic CEO, becomes permanent Bluesky CEO after four months as interim chief.
TechCrunch
Jul 10, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Apple Sues OpenAI for Alleged Trade Secret Theft
Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging trade secret theft and breach of contract.
TechCrunch
Jul 10, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
AI² Robotics raises $735M at $3B valuation for wheeled humanoid robots
AI2 manufactures wheeled humanoid robots rather than bipedal systems, trading mobility range for mechanical simplicity and durability.
The Robot Report
Jul 10, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Fizz Accuses VC Jerry Lu of Sharing Confidential Startup Info with Rival Sidechat
Fizz accuses investor Jerry Lu of sharing confidential info with rival Sidechat, raising questions about VC's role in competitive startup markets.
TechCrunch
Jul 10, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
SK Hynix raises $26.5B in largest foreign IPO in US history
SK Hynix, a South Korean memory chip giant, raises $26.5 billion in its US market debut.
TechCrunch
Jul 10, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Sunrun to Host AI Data Centers in Customers' Homes
Sunrun offers customers money to host AI compute units in their homes, using solar and battery storage systems.
The Verge
Jul 10, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Fidji Simo Steps Down as OpenAI's No. 2 Executive
Fidji Simo, OpenAI's No. 2 executive, is stepping down from her full-time role due to ongoing medical leave.
TechCrunch
Jul 09, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
AI Agent Startup Uses Own Technology to Raise $100M
Lyzr, a Jersey City startup, used its AI agent to raise $100M Series B at $500M valuation.
TechCrunch
Jul 09, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
OpenAI axes ChatGPT Atlas browser less than a year after launch
OpenAI to shut down ChatGPT Atlas, its task-automating browser, by August 9th.
The Verge
Jul 09, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
New York Times says OpenAI hid evidence in ChatGPT copyright trial
The New York Times and The Daily News claim that OpenAI has been lying about its ability to search customer chat log data and training datasets for their copyrighted works.
TechCrunch
Jul 09, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Slate Auto partners with Crayola for customizable EV truck wraps
Slate Auto offers Crayola-colored vehicle wraps for its EV truck, marking Crayola's first automotive partnership.
TechCrunch
Jul 09, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Anthropic Introduces Usage-Based Fees for Claude Fable 5
Anthropic to charge extra fees for Claude Fable 5 usage, marking a shift from flat monthly subscriptions.
Wired
Jul 09, 2026·1 min read
AI Startups
Anthropic's Claude introduces 'Reflect' feature to track AI usage and promote mindful interaction
Anthropic's Claude rolls out 'Reflect', a dashboard to track AI usage, subtly promoting the benefits of AI while encouraging mindful interaction.
TechCrunch
Jul 09, 2026·1 min read