09-16-25 -

Google rolls out new Windows desktop app with Spotlight-like search tool
The app will allow people to use an Alt + Space shortcut to instantly search for information from their computer files, installed apps, Google Drive files, and the web.

09-16-25 -

Gemini overtakes ChatGPT on App Store, as its Nano Banana AI model drives dow...
Though the month is only half over, Gemini's app has already gained 12.6 million downloads in September, up from 8.7 million in August.

09-16-25 -

Rivian breaks ground on $5B Georgia factory ahead of construction in 2026
While largely ceremonial, it's an important step for a project that has dealt with a lot of uncertainty the last few years. Rivian R2 SUVs will roll off the line in 2028.

09-16-25 -

Andrew Yang took inspiration from Mark Cuban for his budget cell carrier Nobl...
“I’m as guilty of doomscrolling as the next person, but knowing that doomscrolling is actually costing me money makes me feel dumb,” Yang told TechCrunch.

09-16-25 -

Waymos Tekedra Mawakana on Scaling Self-Driving Beyond the Hype
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana takes the Disrupt Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 (Oct 27–29, SF) to share the realities of scaling autonomous vehicles — from safety to regulation to the road ahead.

09-16-25 -

Figure reaches $39B valuation in latest funding round
Figure raised more than $1 billion in a Series C round led by Parkway Venture Capital in addition to numerous other investors.

09-16-25 -

Waymo approved to start testing autonomous vehicles at San Francisco Internat...
Waymo has spent years locked in back-and-forth negotiations with SFO, the biggest airport serving its home base of Silicon Valley.

09-16-25 -

OpenAI will apply new restrictions to ChatGPT users under 18
Under the new policy, ChatGPT will be trained to no longer engage in "flirtatious talk" with underage users, and additional guardrails will be placed around discussions of suicide.

09-16-25 -

Samsung patches zero-day security flaw used to hack into its customers phones
The Galaxy phone maker said it was notified in August that hackers are actively exploiting the security flaw to target Samsung customers.

09-16-25 -

Fourth Powers sci-fi thermal batteries could be cheaper than pricey natural g...
Fourth Power has raised $20 million to build a demonstration version of its thermal batteries, which ultimately could store electricity at $25 per kWh.

09-16-25 -

D-ID acquires Berlin-based video startup Simpleshow
Video creation platform D-ID snaps up Berlin-based video generation startup Simpleshow to expand its digital avatar solution.

09-16-25 -

Tesla probed for potentially faulty door handles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received nine reports from owners who couldn't access their cars, including from parents whose children were stuck inside.

09-16-25 -

YouTube rolls out Studio updates, likeness detection, lip-synced dubs, creato...
YouTube launches a handful of updates for creators, including lip syncing features for dubbed videos, likeness detection, collabs, an AI chatbot and more.

09-16-25 -

YouTube announces new generative AI tools for Shorts creators
YouTube is bringing a custom version of Google's text-to-video generative AI model, Veo 3, to Shorts, along with a new remixing tool, an 'Edit with AI' feature, and more.

09-16-25 -

YouTube Live gets a major update, introduces dual-format streaming, minigames...
YouTube announced new features for livestreaming, such as letting creators play mini-games, AI-powered highlights, and more.

09-16-25 -

YouTube Music launches new tools for artists to reward fans with exclusive me...
YouTube Music users will soon be able to pre-save songs, see a countdown for album releases, get exclusive merch, and more.

09-16-25 -

YouTube to use AI to help podcasters promote themselves with clips and Shorts
YouTube teases new AI-powered tools for turning podcasts into video clips, even if they're audio-only.

09-16-25 -

YouTube unveils new ways for creators to earn with brand deals, YouTube Shopp...
YouTube is going to allow creators to swap out brand sponsorships in long-form videos.

09-16-25 -

Salesforce launches Missionforce, a national security-focused business unit
Salesforce's Missionforce will help modernize national defense workflows across areas including personnel, logistics and decision making.

09-16-25 -

Salesforce launches Missionforce, a national security-focused business unit
Salesforce's Missionforce will help modernize national defense workflows across areas including personnel, logistics and decision making.

09-16-25 -

Calm launches standalone iOS app for sleep support
The new Calm Sleep app is designed to help people wind down, sleep deeply, and wake up refreshed.

09-16-25 -

Google launches new protocol for agent-driven purchases
Called the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), the system is meant to be interoperable between AI platforms, payment systems and vendors.

09-16-25 -

This $30M startup built a dog crate-sized robot factory that learns by watchi...
MicroFactory has more than 100 preorders for its general purpose tabletop robotic factory which it hopes to start shipping in two months.

09-16-25 -

Y Combinator-backed Rulebase wants to be the AI coworker for fintech
Y Combinator-alum Rulebase is betting that the next wave of automation in financial services will be the unglamorous tasks.

09-16-25 -

Kayak co-founder takes on Calendly with new Supercal scheduling platform
The entrepreneur has launched Supercal, a free scheduling platform that’s designed to make booking meetings more efficient and simple.

09-16-25 -

Amazon to host Prime Big Deals Day sales event on October 7 and 8
Amazon is hosting its Prime Big Deals Day sales event in October again.

09-16-25 -

Nothing closes $200M Series C led by Tiger Global, plans AI-first device launch
Carl Pei's Nothing is raising $200 million in a Series C round from Tiger Global at a $1.3 billion valuation.

09-15-25 -

Rodatherm Energy wants to make geothermal more efficient, but will it be chea...
Rodatherm Energy emerged from stealth with $38 million in Series A funding. It plans to build a closed-loop geothermal power plant that uses refrigerants to move heat to the surface.

09-15-25 -

With no DOJ breakup, Alphabet becomes a $3 trillion company
Investors continue to reward Alphabet's stock after a judge declined to break up Google earlier this month.

09-15-25 -

Divergent raises $290M to expand production of specialized military parts
Divergent Technologies' new round will help the company expand its manufacturing footprint across the U.S.

09-15-25 -

Robinhood plans to launch a startups fund open to all retail investors
The “Robinhood Ventures Fund I” is intended to allow any retail investor to make money on startups, but the details are scant.

09-15-25 -

The 9 most sought-after startups from YC Demo Day
We asked YC-focused investors to name the startups from the Summer 2025 batch that generated the most interest.

09-15-25 -

Company that owns Gucci, Balenciaga, other brands confirms hack
Kering said the hackers did not steal credit card numbers and that it has contacted the customers whose data is part of the breach, without saying how many were affected. 

09-15-25 -

Do startups still need Silicon Valley? Founders and funders debate at TechCru...
Does Silicon Valley still give founders an edge? At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 (Oct 27–29, SF), Anh-Tho Chuong (Lago), David Hall (Revolution), and Tawni Nazario-Cranz (SignalFire) debate whether location still drives startup success.

09-15-25 -

Awakes new app requires heavy sleepers to complete tasks in order to turn off...
Unlike traditional alarm clocks that can be silenced with a simple tap, Awake is intended to actively engage users' brains to ensure they fully wake up.

09-15-25 -

Snap unveils Snap OS 2.0 with native browser, WebXR support, and more
The launch comes as the company rolled out its fifth-generation Snap Spectacles for developers last year and plans to launch a consumer version sometime in 2026.

09-15-25 -

Apples iOS 26 with the new Liquid Glass design is now available to everyone
Apple's iOS 26 update with Liquid Glass redesign is available to all eligible iPhone users starting today.

09-15-25 -

Inside the Shift at Disrupt: Building Community and Scaling in the AI Era
Nirav Tolia (Nextdoor), Jane Alexander (CapitalG), and Vanessa Larco (Premise, NEA) join TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 (Oct 27–29, SF) to share strategies for building resilient companies and scaling in the AI era.

09-15-25 -

OpenAI upgrades Codex with a new version of GPT-5
OpenAI's AI coding agent, Codex, can now spend anywhere from a few seconds to several hours on a task, thanks to a new, customized version of GPT-5.

09-15-25 -

China says Nvidia violated antitrust regulations
China is investigating Nvidia's 2020 acquisition of Mellanox Technologies as trade tensions between the U.S. and China heat up.

09-15-25 -

Israel announces seizure of $1.5M from crypto wallets tied to Iran
The Israeli government ordered the seizure of 187 wallets it said belong to the IRGC, which have over time received $1.5 billion in crypto, according to a blockchain analysis firm.

09-15-25 -

Times running out to volunteer at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 takes place October 27–29 at Moscone West in San Francisco, and we’re looking for motivated, curious, and energetic volunteers to help make it all happen.

09-15-25 -

PayPal adds new one-to-one payment links that will soon support crypto
PayPal introduces 1:1 direct payment links that will soon support crypto.

09-15-25 -

By popular demand: 10 extra exhibit tables open at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Back by overwhelming demand, we’ve added 10 more exhibit tables to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 — and this will be the final release before they sell out. This is your last chance to showcase your company in front of 10,000+ founders, VCs, and tech...

09-15-25 -

Zooms Eric Yuan and Emergences Santi Subotovsky on navigating the second act,...
Zoom CEO Eric Yuan and Emergence Capital General Partner Santi Subotovsky will join the Going Public Stage at Disrupt 2025 in a session called "What Comes After Breakout Success?." Join 10,000+ tech and VC leaders from October 27-29 in S...

09-15-25 -

US, China reach framework deal for TikTok
The "framework" deal with China is "between two private parties, but the commercial terms have been agreed upon," CNBC quoted Bessent as saying on the sidelines of a meeting between the two countries in Madrid on Monday.

09-15-25 -

Spotify will now let free users pick and play tracks
Spotify is adding new features for free customers that let them pick and play tracks.

09-15-25 -

Harvard Law to AI: MarqVision lands $48M to combat brand abuse
How a Harvard Law grad turned YC founder raised $48M to fight brand abuse in the AI era

09-14-25 -

OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor says were in an AI bubble (but thats okay)
Like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Bret Taylor thinks we're in an AI bubble — but he doesn't sound too worried about it.

09-14-25 -

OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor says were in an AI bubble (but thats OK)
Like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Bret Taylor thinks we're in an AI bubble — but he doesn't sound too worried about it.