July 30, 2025

How 2 UC Berkeley dropouts raised $28M for their AI marketing automation startup: A marketing automation startup called Conversation has a founding story that sounds like it could have been an episode of the HBO show "Silicon Valley." Read More

Skechers is making kids' shoes with a hidden AirTag compartment: Skechers launches kids' shoes with a built-in AirTag holder. Read More

PlayerZero raises $15M to prevent AI agents from shipping buggy code: PlayerZero landed angel investors like Databricks' Matei Zaharia, Dropbox's Drew Houston, Figma's Dylan Field, and Vercel's Guillermo Rauch, its founder says. Read More

250+ top tech voices. 200 sessions. 10,000+ attendees. 3 days straight — October 27–29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Don't miss valuable takeaways across 6 industry stages, breakouts, roundtables, and unmatched networking. All at the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt. Register now to save up to $675 on your ticket.

Ramp hits $22.5B valuation just 45 days after reaching $16B: In 2025, Ramp keeps raising money at increasing valuations as its CEO pursues an AI-powered future. Read More

Zuckerberg signals Meta won't open source all of its 'superintelligence' AI models: Meta is shifting how it plans to ensure widespread access to superintelligence, a suggestion that the company's most advanced AI may remain closed so that Meta can stay in the driver's seat. Read More

Palo Alto Networks agrees to buy CyberArk for $25 billion: The cybersecurity giant is getting into identity security with its acquisition of CyberArk, which is one of the biggest cybersecurity deals of the year so far. Read More

Meta to spend up to $72B on AI infrastructure in 2025 as compute arms race escalates: Meta is pouring money into the physical and technical infrastructure needed to scale its AI ambitions. The company said Wednesday in its second-quarter earnings report that it plans to more than double its spend on building AI infrastructure – like data centers and servers.  "We currently expect 2025 capital expenditures, including principal payments on finance leases, to be in the range of $66-72 billion…up approximately $30 billion year-over-year at the midpoint," Meta said. Read More

Nvidia AI chip challenger Groq said to be nearing new fundraising at $6B valuation : AI chip startup Groq is in talks to raise a fresh $600 million at a near $6 billion valuation, sources tell Bloomberg, although the deal isn't yet final and terms could change.  Read More

TechCrunch Disrupt is launching a bold new Going Public track, and we're looking for sponsors ready to lead the conversation. If your company has experience scaling, filing, or navigating Wall Street, this is your chance to showcase it to founders prepping for their IPO moment. Opportunities include two Stage Sessions and one exclusive track sponsorship.

How a New Jersey startup found an electrifying way to slash copper costs: Still Bright is now loaded up with $18.7 million in seed money to build out its demonstration unit. Read More

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July 30, 2025

Gen AI apps doubled their revenue, grew to 1.7B downloads in first half of 2025: People are downloading and spending money on Gen AI apps more than ever. Read More

YouTube loosens profanity rules for monetized videos: YouTube is tweaking its profanity-related rules to allow creators to monetize videos with swearing in them, provided the profanity is contained to the first seven seconds of the video. Read More

Google says it will sign EU's AI code of practice: Google confirmed it will sign the European Union's general purpose AI code of practice. Meta has already said it will not sign the voluntary framework. Read More

250+ top tech voices. 200 sessions. 10,000+ attendees. 3 days straight — October 27–29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Don't miss valuable takeaways across 6 industry stages, breakouts, roundtables, and unmatched networking. All at the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt. Register now to save up to $675 on your ticket.

OpenAI launches Study Mode in ChatGPT: OpenAI's Study Mode aims to help students develop their own critical thinking skills, rather than just giving answers. Read More

Jack Dorsey's Bluetooth messaging app Bitchat now on App Store: Jack Dorsey's Bitchat is now available on the App Store, but security researchers have questioned the app's privacy claims. Read More

Google's NotebookLM rolls out Video Overviews: With this new capability, NotebookLM is taking a more visual approach to helping users understand different topics and ideas. Read More

Elon Musk's Boring Company to build Tesla tunnels under Nashville: Construction could start fast — but that speed has endangered Boring Company workers in the past. Read More

Anthropic reportedly nears $170B valuation with potential $5B round: The new round is being led by Iconiq Capital, with the possibility of a co-lead investor joining. Read More

Get your brand in front of 10,000+ tech and VC leaders over three action-packed days at Disrupt 2025 this October. Boost your visibility, spark meaningful connections, and position your company at the forefront of innovation. Don't wait. Secure your exhibit space before your competitor beats you to it.

Nvidia AI chip challenger Groq said to be nearing new fundraising at $6B valuation : AI chip startup Groq is in talks to raise a fresh $600 million at a near $6 billion valuation, sources tell Bloomberg, although the deal isn't yet final and terms could change.  Read More

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