Startups

This ex-Pleo exec plans on taking on US rivals with his ‘AI CFO’ startup

What will it take for Europe to win in physical AI?

Quote of the day by iRobot co-founder Rodney Brooks: “The world is its own best model”

The scientist challenged contemporary orthodoxy around robotics to lay the blueprint for the physical AI boom we expect in the coming years

Inside SF’s growing ecosystem for European founders

Norway fined a Microsoft subsidiary $9.6 million for allegedly misusing Grindr user data

Xandr has three weeks to appeal the record penalty.

WindBorne wins a hefty US Air Force contract for its balloon data

A Silicon Valley startup that uses weather balloons and AI to predict the weather won a US military contract worth almost $50 million.

Elon Musk has donated over $276 million to Republican midterm efforts

Elon Musk has handed out at least $276 million to Republican groups since July, The New York Times reports, making him both the party’s top known donor and the biggest established midterm donor.

Tor Project refuses to cut ties with Mullvad following controversial political donation

Following community outcry over a political donation by a Mullvad co-founder, the Tor Project has clarified its stance. Tor won’t end its technical collaboration with the VPN provider but is dropping proactive co-branding to maintain its independence.

This AI startup says it can generate permit-ready blueprints in minutes

Blueprints AI, a bootstrapped startup based in Santa Monica, developed software that produces code-compliant construction blueprints from a photo, PDF, or sketch.

Stryker to invest $400m in CMR Surgical, with option to buy it outright

IonQ to Acquire Zero Trust Firm Elisity for Up to $1.3 Billion

The all-stock deal brings Elisity’s least-privilege access technology into IonQ’s security portfolio.

Energy unicorn 1Komma5 raises €70m as IPO plans remain on ice

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 starts tomorrow: Your final chance to secure up to $100 ticket savings

Tomorrow at 8 a.m. PT, it all begins. 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech operators will gather at San Francisco’s Moscone West for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 for three days of ideas, connections, and startups shaping what comes next.

DeepSeek to lead seed round in $400mn robot AI start-up, Bloomberg reports

DeepSeek has agreed to lead the first funding round for Winverse AI, a start-up building AI for robots, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The seed round is worth tens of millions of dollars and would value Winverse at about $400mn after the investment.

Nigerian fintech OPay files for New York IPO, Semafor reports

Pay, a Nigerian payments and lending app, has filed to list on the New York Stock Exchange, Yinka Adegoke reported for Semafor. Earlier reports put its likely valuation at about $4bn. The company filed on 9 October, bne IntelliNews reported.

London cabbies want Sadiq Khan to slam the brakes on robotaxis

Union urges Mayor to halt driverless taxi rollout as City Hall report raises questions about safety, congestion, and who’s actually in charge

Loops raises $3.5M to build the AI operating system for commerce

Online shopping has become very good at showing people thousands of products and surprisingly bad at helping them choose one. Loops was built around the idea that AI can collapse those experiences into one continuous journey.

UK government mulls compulsory AI safety reporting

European consumers are begging for better customer support

Scarcity is the mother of European AI invention

48 hours to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 — hear directly from the people building what’s next

In less than 48 hours, the doors open for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Save up to $100 on your ticket before prices increase at the door. Don’t forget to get a second pass at 50% off. Register now.

Exclusive: Project Europe cofounders step down as fund readies next chapter

The ‘biggest threat’ China poses for European startups isn’t what you think

Europe’s fastest-growing fintechs are queueing up for growth-stage funding rounds