63 m. ago Linktree rolls out a suite of monetization features for creators

Linktree is launching a set of new features aimed at helping creators earn more money directly from its platform. The new tools include the ability to sell courses and digital products, earn from brand-sponsored links, and build shoppable storefronts. The launch of the new monetization features will help Linktree stand out among other similar platforms […]

Politics

93 m. ago Alpaca raises $52M Series C to take its API brokerage platform to new markets

Alpaca said on Wednesday it has raised a $52M Series C round to expand into more foreign markets, including the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

Economics

2 h. ago Froda secures $23M Series B for its debt financing platform for SMEs

Swedish Fintech startup Froda has secured a $22.7 million (€20m) Series B round led by Incore Invest, also based in Sweden. The move bucks the trend of a slight slowdown in investments into fintech, plus a further confirmation of the long-term trend towards the ’embedded finance’ model.  Largely operating in northern European countries from Finland […]

Economics

4 h. ago Fentanyl Pipeline: How a Chinese Prison Helped Fuel a Deadly Drug Crisis in the United States

Fentanyl Pipeline: How a Chinese Prison Helped Fuel a Deadly Drug Crisis in the United States  ProPublica

Events

7 h. ago Oversight board voices concern about Meta nixing fact checks

Independent monitors voiced concern Tuesday that Meta's recent decision to ditch fact checks on their Facebook platform could endanger human rights.

Politics

9 h. ago Noxtua raises $92M for its sovereign AI tuned for the German legal system

Back in 2020, Xayn was a privacy-based, on-device AI startup designed specifically for smartphones. But that early experience eventually saw the company pivot into developing sovereign AI for the legal sphere. Now Xayn has rebranded as Noxtua and raised a $92.2 million (roughly €81.2 million) Series B round. The round was led by strategic investor […]

Politics

10 h. ago “Periodic table of machine learning” could fuel AI discovery

Researchers have created a unifying framework that can help scientists combine existing ideas to improve AI models or create new ones.

Politics

10 h. ago ICE raid reportedly detains more than a dozen day laborers outside Home Depot

ICE raid reportedly detains more than a dozen day laborers outside Home Depot  Los Angeles Times

Politics

11 h. ago RFK Jr. unveils plan to phase out 8 artificial food dyes in the US

The Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced on Tuesday a series of measures to phase out eight artificial food dyes.

Politics

15 h. ago President Trump blasts courts for getting in the way of deportation agenda

Speaking at the White House Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump blasted courts standing in the way of his administration’s immigration agenda of deporting “some very bad people," who he said include “killers, murderers, drug dealers."

Politics

15 h. ago RFK Jr. unveils plans to phase out 8 artificial food dyes in the US

The Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced on Tuesday a series of measures to phase out eight artificial food dyes.

Politics

16 h. ago Rubio Skipping Ukraine Talks as Zelensky Rebuffs U.S. on Crimea

The decision by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to pull out of the meeting and an objection by Ukraine’s leader to a key U.S. proposal raised questions about the state of the negotiations.

Events

16 h. ago Trump's raise worries about the global economy — and the Fed

The International Monetary Fund is projecting higher prices and slower economic growth in the U.S. as a result of President Trump's trade war. That's a tough spot for the Federal Reserve.

Politics

17 h. ago GOP lawmaker warns that blue state's likely move will make gas prices skyrocket: 'Affordability issue'

Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., is one of the many voices raising concerns about a recent oil refinery closure announcement having a greater impact on American wallets.

Events

18 h. ago A Chinese AI video startup appears to be blocking politically sensitive images

A China-based startup, Sand AI, has released an openly licensed video-generating AI model that’s garnered praise from entrepreneurs like Microsoft Research Asia founding director Kai-Fu Lee. But Sand AI appears to be censoring images that might raise the ire of Chinese regulators from the hosted version of the model, according to TechCrunch’s testing. Earlier this […]

Politics

19 h. ago Khloe Kardashian launches consumer brand backed by Serena Ventures, WME

Khloe Kardashian has formerly launched her new food company, Khloud, and its first product, a protein popcorn, set to hit Target starting April 29th.  Back in December, TechCrunch reported that Kardashian and her mother, Kris Jenner, were looking to raise at least $10 million for a business called Khloud. Jessica Bixby, an associate partner at […]

Politics

19 h. ago Kripa Varanasi named faculty director of the Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation

The interfacial engineering expert and prolific entrepreneur will help faculty and students take breakthroughs from lab to market.

Politics

19 h. ago Vibe coding helps Supabase nab $200M at $2B valuation just seven months after its last raise

In 2020, when open source database Supabase was founded, its New Zealand-based CEO, Paul Copplestone, couldn’t have imagined it would be sitting in the sweet spot for 2025’s biggest trend: vibe coding.  But on Tuesday, the fruits of that became evident when it announced a $200 million Series D at a $2 billion post-money valuation […]

Politics

19 h. ago Character.AI unveils AvatarFX, an AI video model to create lifelike chatbots

Character.AI, a leading platform for chatting and roleplaying with AI-generated characters, unveiled its forthcoming video generation model, AvatarFX, on Tuesday. Available in closed beta, the model animates the platform’s characters in a variety of styles and voices, from human-like characters to 2D animal cartoons. AvatarFX distinguishes itself from competitors like OpenAI’s Sora because it isn’t […]

Politics

20 h. ago Burning questions (and some answers) about Bluesky’s new verification system

Bluesky’s launch of a verification system has raised a slew of questions among its user base, from who will be picked — and why — to what outside organizations might be involved and whether the self-verification process will end. TechCrunch has some answers. After a leak last week, Bluesky officially announced Monday the arrival of […]

Events