Tech

Today on TechCrunch’s ⁠Equity⁠ podcast, Dominic-Madori Davis was joined by ⁠Jeremy Neufeld⁠, the Director of Immigration Policy at the Institute for Progress, to break down what the recent H-1B change means for startups, founders, and the future of tech talent in America.  Watch the full episode for more about:  The massive loophole that lets 80% of H-1B applicants skip the …

AST SpaceMobile has inked a new deal with Verizon to bring space-based cellular broadband across the United States, marking its most significant partnership to date and its latest move to capture a larger share of the emerging space-to-cellular market. Under the agreement, Verizon will integrate AST’s satellite network with its terrestrial infrastructure, using Verizon’s 850 MHz spectrum to extend coverage …

Bounce, a technology designed to make your social media account more portable across open social services, is making it possible for users to move their Mastodon accounts to Bluesky. On Tuesday, the makers of Bounce introduced its latest beta version, Bounce 2, which lets you take your Mastodon social graph and migrate it or merge it into a profile for …

Despite the well-known environmental benefits of recycling, it’s estimated that less than 10% of the world’s plastic gets recycled. Ganiga Innovation looks to bring that percentage up using AI-enabled robotic waste bins.  Italian startup Ganiga built three products to help better manage waste and recycling. The first is a fleet of robotic waste bins, called Hoooly, that use generative AI …

A few weeks ago, President Trump announced the application fee for an H-1B visa would increase to $10,000. The price tag sent shock waves through, especially the tech ecosystem, which heavily utilizes the visa to bring talent in from other countries.  On this week’s Equity, we sat down with Jeremy Neufeld, the director of immigration policy at the Institute for …

Google announced on Wednesday that its AI feature that lets users virtually try on clothes is expanding to Australia, Canada, and Japan. The tech giant also announced the feature now lets users virtually try on shoes. The feature works by asking users to upload a photo to see how real clothes might look on them. Now, users can visualize how …

Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is almost here, and the pressure has never been greater. With $100,000 on the line, the top 20 early-stage startups know they must deliver their very best on the Disrupt Stage from October 27-29 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Meanwhile, our VC judges will bring sharp questions, deep experience, and a discerning eye to distinguish the promising from the truly exceptional. Founders can gain invaluable insights into …

Japanese investing conglomerate SoftBank Group is buying a robotics company as the financial behemoth says physical AI is its next frontier.   SoftBank announced on Wednesday that it has acquired Zurich, Switzerland-based ABB Group’s robotics business unit for $5.375 billion. The deal is subject to regulatory approval; SoftBank predicts the deal will close in mid-to-late 2026 according to a press release. …

Google is bringing its AI-powered conversational search feature, Search Live, to India — launching in English and Hindi — and expanding AI Mode to seven new Indian languages, as the company strengthens its presence in one of its fastest-growing markets. First introduced in the U.S. in July, Search Live builds on Google’s Project Astra technology and is available through the …

Qapita, a Singapore-based equity management platform, has raised $26.5 million in a Series B round led by Charles Schwab. As part of the deal, Charles Schwab has introduced a new platform called Schwab Private Issuer Equity Services — powered by Qapita — which let’s U.S. startups manage their cap tables, administer stock plans, and prepare for public listings. Founded in …