Tech

If there’s one thing that VCs agree on when backing AI startups, it’s that AI requires a different investment approach than prior technological shifts. “It’s a funky time,” said Aileen Lee, founder and managing partner of Cowboy Ventures, onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. The longtime VC noted that the rules of investing have significantly shifted now that some AI companies …

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin has landed the booster of its New Glenn mega-rocket on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean on just its second attempt — making it the second company to perform such a feat, following Elon Musk’s SpaceX. It’s an accomplishment that will help the new rocket system become an option to send larger payloads to space, …

In the debut episode of the Build Mode podcast, host Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Deon Nicholas, co-founder of Forethought AI, to unpack what it really takes to build a lasting company with and for your customers from day one. Build Mode is TechCrunch’s new podcast that pulls back the curtain on how startups actually get built — the messy, …

Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin has landed the booster of its New Glenn mega-rocket on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean on just its second attempt — an accomplishment that will help the new system become an option to send larger payloads to space. After a number of delays, New Glenn finally took off from Launch Complex 36 in …

Apple on Thursday introduced a new set of App Review Guidelines for developers, which now specifically state that apps must disclose and obtain users’ permission before sharing personal data with third-party AI. The change comes ahead of the iPhone maker’s plan to introduce its own AI-upgraded version of Siri in 2026. That update will see Apple’s digital assistant offer users …

Uber has quietly begun piloting in-app video recording for its drivers in India, TechCrunch has learned and confirmed with the company. The tool is meant to deter misconduct in a market where most drivers do not use dashcams, according to Uber. Half a dozen Uber drivers in the Delhi–NCR region told TechCrunch they sometimes face misconduct from riders and, in …

Newsletter platform beehiiv announced a massive expansion to its platform on Thursday, including offering real-time analytics and AI website creation, among other things.   In a video announcing the release, Tyler Denk, the co-founder and CEO of Beehiiv, said that what makes newsletter platforms powerful is ownership.   “Owning your audience, distribution, brand, and even your revenue potential,” he said. “In the age of AI and …

When the hosts of the popular All-In podcast launched their own tequila brand at a star-studded party last June, all 750 bottles of the $1,200 spirit quickly sold out. But getting those bottles into customers’ hands has proven harder than expected. The long-awaited bottles of Besties All-In tequila began shipping last week to those who ordered them, ending a nearly …

If you thought Apple’s $19 polishing cloth was ridiculous, wait until you hear about Apple’s newest product: the limited edition iPhone Pocket is a cloth sling for your phone, which retails for $149.95 in the short size, and $229.95 in the long, crossbody size. The item itself seems like it could be ragebait. Apple’s website says that it is inspired …

Apple announced on Thursday the launch of a new developer program, the Mini Apps Partner Program, which will offer a reduced commission rate of 15% on in-app purchases for the mini applications. The iPhone maker defines a mini app as a “self-contained” experience that’s built using web technologies like HTML5 and JavaScript, which are distributed within a larger, native app. …