United StatesOwnership & classification
Founded: 2005
Ownership
TechCrunch is a US technology-news site founded in 2005 by Michael Arrington and Keith Teare. It passed through AOL (2010), then Verizon/Oath, then Yahoo (under Apollo Global Management after 2021), and in March 2025 was sold by Yahoo to Regent, a Los Angeles private-equity media investment firm founded by Michael Reinstein. Regent, which also bought Foundry (PCWorld, Macworld, etc.), is the current owner.
Funding
Financed commercially through online advertising and sponsorship, plus its Disrupt conferences and events. It now operates as a portfolio holding of a private-equity firm.
Affiliation & stance
TechCrunch has no party, state or church ties and is a commercial trade-press outlet covering startups and technology. Because it is privately owned (by PE firm Regent) and commercially financed with no party or government control, it is classified INDEPENDENT.
Editorial lean
- Our estimate
- Center
- Measured from coverage
- Centerbased on 233
79/100
Factual
75/100
Objective
350
Articles
350
reports
Factual: How accurately its articles report the facts, judged against primary sources and the cross-outlet consensus. Only articles that cite their sources are counted.
Objective: How neutral the writing is — whether reporting keeps the writer’s own preferences and opinions out of the article.
Recent coverage
What to know about recent A.I. hacks.
The article titled 'What to know about recent A.I. hacks' from The New York Times (World) section aims to provide readers with information on recent incidents involving artificial intelligence systems being hacked. While the specific details of the hacks are not provided in the headline alone, the focus appears to be on understanding the implications, vulnerabilities, and potential risks associated with AI technology. Given the lack of detailed content, the summary remains general but highlights the importance of awareness regarding cybersecurity threats in the realm of artificial intelligence.
OpenAI will start watermarking ChatGPT’s text in the EU
OpenAI announced it will begin adding an invisible watermark to text generated by ChatGPT and Codex in the European Union to comply with the EU AI Act. The watermark, called textGrain, subtly alters word choices in a way that can be detected by specialized tools but remains imperceptible to readers. It is designed to travel with the text when copied and does not identify individual users. The feature will initially be available to eligible users in the EU and developers using OpenAI’s API globally, though it will not be enabled by default. OpenAI acknowledged that the watermark can be partially removed through editing and noted that short texts or translations may be harder to detect. The company emphasized that the presence of a watermark does not confirm human authorship, as content could have been edited or generated by other AI systems. This follows similar moves by Anthropic, which faced criticism for its approach, and aligns with the EU’s guidelines on AI transparency.
Lucid Motors’ EV output falls to lowest level in almost 2 years
Lucid Motors reported a significant decline in EV production during Q3 2025, building 2,954 vehicles, a 54% decrease from the same period in 2024. This marks the lowest output since early 2025, shortly after the launch of its second vehicle, the Gravity SUV. The company also saw a slight drop in deliveries, with 3,806 units handed over, though this remained relatively stable compared to previous quarters. Lucid has faced challenges in finding buyers for its first two luxury EV models, resulting in a pattern where it often builds more cars than it can sell. Under new CEO Silvio Napoli, the company has implemented cost-cutting measures including layoffs, leadership restructuring, and factory shifts, aiming to save $1.4 billion. Additionally, the release of its third model, the Cosmos, has been delayed to ensure quality, despite its potential to attract a broader customer base. These struggles contrast sharply with Lucid's ambitious goals set during its 2021 IPO, which projected shipping up to 90,000 EVs in 2024. Napoli acknowledged past missteps, including inconsistent execution and rushed product launches, and emphasized a commitment to avoiding similar pitfalls with the Cosmos.
Reflection debuts Beam, an open-weight AI model to rival Chinese models at lower compute cost
Reflection AI has launched Beam, a large open-weight AI model designed to compete with prominent Chinese models such as DeepSeek, Qwen, and Z.ai, offering similar performance at significantly reduced computational costs. Beam is a 501-billion-parameter model with 23 billion active parameters, trained on 23.8 trillion tokens, and features a 1 million token context window. According to Reflection, Beam performs on par with Z.ai’s GLM-5.2 and surpasses current leading Western open models while requiring 3–4 times less inference compute. The company positions Beam as a 'workhorse model' for enterprises, governments, and developers. Reflection, founded in 2024 by two former Google DeepMind researchers, has secured significant funding and partnerships, including a $7 billion deal with SpaceX and Nebius for access to Nvidia’s GB300 chips. The firm aims to enable 'AI factories,' allowing organizations to customize and deploy localized AI systems based on their own data.
Etched fields funding offers at $40B+ valuation, sources say
Etched, an AI chip startup that recently raised $700 million at a $21 billion valuation, is now receiving acquisition offers valued between $40 billion and $50 billion, according to undisclosed sources. The company is exploring potential deals but has not commented on the matter. Etched focuses on developing full AI hardware systems using its proprietary chips, aiming to compete with NVIDIA. The startup has attracted significant interest from venture capitalists due to its rapid growth and promising technology. Etched has already secured over $1 billion in customer orders, including from quant trading firm Jane Street, and has recruited engineers from NVIDIA. The company operates a data center in Silicon Valley and a production facility in Taiwan, leveraging partnerships with TSMC. Etched has experienced rapid valuation increases, raising $300 million at $10.3 billion and then $700 million at $21 billion within months.
After Factory’s public spat with Khosla, Menlo proudly invests
Menlo Ventures has invested in AI coding startup Factory, marking a significant move in the company's funding round that reached a $5 billion valuation. The investment comes amid a public dispute between Factory co-founder Matan Grinberg and investor Chris Degnan of RPT Partners, where Grinberg accused Degnan of leaking confidential information to rival Cognition. Degnan denied these claims, stating he resigned and rejected a job offer from Grinberg. The controversy drew attention from prominent figures including Vinod Khosla, who criticized Factory as a struggling competitor. Menlo's strong endorsement of Factory contrasts with Khosla's criticism, highlighting the firm's confidence in Factory's potential. Menlo's past success with investments in Anthropic, Lovable, and Legora suggests a strategic alignment with high-potential startups.
Instinct brings its AI agent to group chats, even for friends without an account
Instinct, an AI agent startup valued at $10 billion, is introducing a new feature allowing users to add the AI to group chats with friends, even if some participants don't have an Instinct account. The feature aims to simplify tasks such as travel planning, event ticketing, and holiday coordination by enabling collective decision-making within a single conversation thread. Unlike Meta's Muse, which lacks similar group chat capabilities, Instinct's update positions it as a competitive player in the consumer AI market. The company emphasizes privacy and security, ensuring that personal Instinct agents require user consent before interacting with group agents and maintaining data separation between personal and group functions. Early access users can currently test the feature, with broader availability planned soon.
TikTok rolls out an AI shopping assistant and one-click checkout
TikTok has introduced a new feature called the Shopping Assistant, which is an AI-powered tool designed to assist users in discovering and purchasing products through conversation. The feature aims to enhance user experience by integrating shopping capabilities directly into the platform. It includes a one-click checkout option to streamline the buying process. This development reflects TikTok's expansion into e-commerce services.
At 19, founder raises $11M for Ghost, maker of a $3,499 computer for personal AI
A 19-year-old founder has raised $11 million for Ghost, a startup that is launching its first product, Core, a high-end personal computer priced at $3,499. The device is specifically designed to support AI agents capable of performing tasks on behalf of users. This marks a significant achievement for the young entrepreneur and highlights growing interest in AI-driven hardware solutions.
5 startups that caught VCs’ attention at the latest PearX demo day
TechCrunch covered PearX's latest demo day, highlighting five startups that attracted significant interest from venture capitalists. The featured companies showcased innovations ranging from spatial modeling technologies to specialized chips designed for local artificial intelligence applications. These startups represent emerging trends in technology, focusing on areas like AI hardware and immersive computing experiences. The event provided a platform for early-stage companies to present their ideas to investors, indicating potential directions for future technological development.
HackerRank’s AI interviewer offers a glimpse into what job interviews could become
TechCrunch reports on HackerRank's AI interviewer, which has completed over 500,000 interviews. The system is being tested by companies such as Snowflake, Snorkel, and Capgemini. The article highlights the growing adoption of AI in recruitment processes, suggesting a shift toward automated hiring tools. It provides data on usage but does not delve into controversies or differing opinions regarding AI in employment.
OpenAI launches visual ads that appear alongside image generation results
OpenAI has introduced a new feature where visual advertisements will appear alongside image generation results in the United States. This change is currently limited to the U.S. market and does not yet apply to other regions. The ads are expected to generate additional revenue for OpenAI by leveraging the high engagement associated with their image-generation tools. Users who utilize OpenAI's image creation services will now see these ads displayed after receiving their generated images. The move comes amid increasing competition in the AI-generated content space, where companies are exploring various monetization strategies.
Hackers steal 8 million citizens’ records from Danish government database
A data breach has occurred involving the Danish government, where hackers accessed and stole personal information of 8 million individuals. The stolen data includes names, addresses, and state-issued ID numbers. This breach impacts both residents within Denmark and those living abroad, as well as deceased individuals. The Danish government has confirmed the incident, but further details regarding the cause of the breach, the methods used by the hackers, and the potential consequences for affected individuals have not been disclosed.