Technology

Gamma, a startup that creates AI-generated presentations, websites, and social media posts, announced on Monday a $68 million Series B round at a $2.1 billion valuation led by Andreessen Horowitz.  Co-founder and CEO Grant Lee posted on X that the company has profitably hit $100 million in ARR, with 70 million users. The startup hit $50 million profitably in its first two years, Lee previously posted. Gamma last raised a $12 million Series A round led by Accel in 2024.  Gamma isn’t exactly a…

Google announced on Monday that it’s starting to roll out Gemini to the Google TV Streamer, replacing Google Assistant. The tech giant says the change will enable users to use their voice more naturally to access content and more. For example, users can now ask something like, “I like dramas but my wife likes comedies….

Google Maps is adding new AI features, including a builder agent and an MCP server — a tool that connects AI assistants to Google Maps’ technical documentation — to help developers and users create interactive projects using Maps data and code. The company said it is using Gemini models across the board to power these…

Carbon management startup Carbon Direct is buying another carbon credit startup, Pachama, the companies announced today. Pachama laid off around 20 employees this summer as voluntary carbon markets softened. The company had attracted investments from a range of prominent names, including Amazon’s Climate Pledge, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, and several celebrity angel investors, including…

Venmo on Monday introduced a new rewards program, Venmo Stash, offering cash back to customers who transact with their favorite brands on the payments app and engage with Venmo’s products. While cashback rewards are a common incentive for credit cards, Venmo’s rewards — which can be up to 5% — are returned to Venmo’s Mastercard…

For more than a decade, makers of government spyware have defended themselves from criticism by saying that their surveillance technology is intended to be used only against serious criminals and terrorists, and only in limited cases.   The evidence gathered from dozens, if not hundreds of documented instances of spyware abuse all over the world, however,…

Lenskart shares recovered after a soft start to finish slightly above the offer price on Monday, following the Indian eyewear retailer’s ₹72.8 billion ($821 million) IPO that sold out within hours but stirred debate over its valuation. The stock opened at ₹395, below the IPO price of ₹402, and fell as much as 11% to…

Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin scrubbed the second launch of its New Glenn mega-rocket planned for Sunday afternoon due to concerns with weather, a few minor problems with launch pad equipment, and at least one cruise ship that strayed too close to the flight path. The company said late Sunday that it will take…

YouTube TV subscribers unhappy about going more than a week without ESPN, ABC, and other Disney networks will be getting a $20 credit that can be applied to their next billing statement. Variety first reported on the credit, and a YouTube spokesperson confirmed the news to TechCrunch. The company says the credits are rolling out…

Slow Ventures hosted a three-hour “Etiquette Finishing School” this week, covering topics like the perfect handshake, public speaking, and office decorum. There was even a fashion show with models showing off different looks for different occasions, and then a closing lesson about caviar and wine. The San Francisco Standard reports that a few hundred founders…