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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
TechCrunch Mobility: Applied Intuition's eye-popping valuation, the new age of micromobility, and Waymo's wild week
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Waymo might be the largest commercial robotaxi operator — offering 250,000 paid rides per week — but it is hardly smooth. The past seven days in Waymo's world illustrates just how dynamic the burgeoning robotaxi business can be. The company limited service nationwide on June 13 ahead of scheduled 'No Kings' protests against President Donald Trump and his policies. Days later, Waymo announced it was expanding its robotaxi service area by another 80 square miles in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Silicon Valley. And now Waymo is eyeing the biggest city in the United States: New York City. One note on NYC: This will be a marathon for Waymo. The company is applying for a permit to test its autonomous vehicles in the city, but even if it gets approved, it won't mean driverless testing. A truly driverless (no human behind the wheel) vehicle will require a change in state law. Expect lobbying activity to ramp up in the state. Let's get into the rest of the news. Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at or my Signal at kkorosec.07, Sean O'Kane at or Rebecca Bellan at Or check out these instructions to learn how to contact us via encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop. Applied Intuition keeps attracting investors, and it has an eye-popping valuation to show for it. The buzzy startup, which makes software that helps companies and government agencies develop autonomous vehicle solutions such as simulation software and managing data, closed a $600 million Series F and tender offer. That round, which was co-led by BlackRock-managed funds and Kleiner Perkins, pushed its valuation up to $15 billion. Yes, $15 investors included Qatar Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi Investment Council, Greycroft, and more. Existing investors General Catalyst, Lux, Elad Gil, and Mary Meeker's growth fund Bond also participated. Reminder: The round comes just one year after it completed a $250 million Series E, which put the company at a $6 billion valuation. Archer Aviation raised an additional $850 million through a registered direct offering of 85 million shares at $10 per share. The company noted in its announcement that this followed President Trump's executive order to implement an eVTOL Integration Pilot Program in the United States. stems, a Southern California-based startup developing wire harnesses for aerospace, raised $25 million in a round co-led by Dylan Field, the co-founder and CEO of design software company Figma; VC firm CIV; General Catalyst; Peter Thiel's Founders Fund; Sequoia Capital; Joe Lonsdale's 8VC; and Andreessen Horowitz. This newsletter used to have a dedicated section for micromobility, a reflection of its popularity at the time. Micromobility went through a period of consolidation and tightening capital, which forced the industry to grow up. But it hasn't disappeared, and that's why I'm bringing it back this week (and occasionally in the future).Reporter Rebecca Bellan hosted a roundtable with Voi CEO Fredrik Hjelm, Bird co-CEO Michael Washinushi, and Dott/Tier CEO Henri Moissinac at the Micromobility Europe event in Brussels. Here are some of her insights from the panel and from the broader event: Honda launched an all-electric last-mile delivery vehicle called the Fastport eQuad. The eQuad comes in two sizes built on the same basic platform, small and large. Both are smaller than the smallest Mini Cooper but can carry between 320 and 650 pounds. They have pedals, and their top speed is limited to 12 mph (20 kph), both requirements to keep them bike-lane legal. VanMoof is back and has launched its first e-bike since bankruptcy. Reporter Rebecca Bellan digs into what is the same and what has changed at VanMoof. Bellan also provided a list of startups rolling out of Europe's early-stage micromobility scene. Zoox has opened its first full-fledged production facility, where it expects to one day build 10,000 robotaxis per year. Tesla has partnered with Electrify Expo to launch full-weekend EV test drives. This is an interesting move by Tesla, which has historically used other methods besides third-party events like auto shows or expos to attract new customers. It also could make Electrify Expo a target of protestors who are behind the Tesla Takedown movement. Zoomcar, the Indian car-sharing marketplace, said a hacker accessed the personal data of at least 8.4 million customers, including their names, phone numbers, and car registration numbers. The company became aware of the incident after some of its employees received external communications from a threat actor who claimed to have gained access to the company's data. The Paris Air Show included lots of news under the ever-evolving category I call 'Future of flight.' Too much to cover everything here, but there were a few highlights: an announcement from U.S. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy that the Federal Aviation Administration and four other regulators will collaborate on an advanced air mobility (AAM) roadmap; Archer Aviation showcased its Midnight aircraft and hosted delegations from more than 20 countries; and Beta Technologies' Alia became the first electric aircraft to fly at the show. Sign in to access your portfolio
TechCrunch
2 days ago
- Automotive
- TechCrunch
TechCrunch Mobility: Applied Intuition's eye-popping valuation, the new age of micromobility, and Waymo's wild week
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Waymo might be the largest commercial robotaxi operator — offering 250,000 paid rides per week — but it is hardly smooth. The past seven days in Waymo's world illustrates just how dynamic the burgeoning robotaxi business can be. The company limited service nationwide on June 13 ahead of scheduled 'No Kings' protests against President Donald Trump and his policies. Days later, Waymo announced it was expanding its robotaxi service area by another 80 square miles in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Silicon Valley. And now Waymo is eyeing the biggest city in the United States: New York City. One note on NYC: This will be a marathon for Waymo. The company is applying for a permit to test its autonomous vehicles in the city, but even if it gets approved, it won't mean driverless testing. A truly driverless (no human behind the wheel) vehicle will require a change in state law. Expect lobbying activity to ramp up in the state. Let's get into the rest of the news. A little bird Image Credits:Bryce Durbin Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at or my Signal at kkorosec.07, Sean O'Kane at or Rebecca Bellan at Or check out these instructions to learn how to contact us via encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop. Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW Deals! Image Credits:Bryce Durbin Applied Intuition keeps attracting investors, and it has an eye-popping valuation to show for it. The buzzy startup, which makes software that helps companies and government agencies develop autonomous vehicle solutions such as simulation software and managing data, closed a $600 million Series F and tender offer. That round, which was co-led by BlackRock-managed funds and Kleiner Perkins, pushed its valuation up to $15 billion. Yes, $15 billion. Other investors included Qatar Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi Investment Council, Greycroft, and more. Existing investors General Catalyst, Lux, Elad Gil, and Mary Meeker's growth fund Bond also participated. Reminder: The round comes just one year after it completed a $250 million Series E, which put the company at a $6 billion valuation. Other deals worth noting … Archer Aviation raised an additional $850 million through a registered direct offering of 85 million shares at $10 per share. The company noted in its announcement that this followed President Trump's executive order to implement an eVTOL Integration Pilot Program in the United States. Senra Systems, a Southern California-based startup developing wire harnesses for aerospace, raised $25 million in a round co-led by Dylan Field, the co-founder and CEO of design software company Figma; VC firm CIV; General Catalyst; Peter Thiel's Founders Fund; Sequoia Capital; Joe Lonsdale's 8VC; and Andreessen Horowitz. Micromobility This newsletter used to have a dedicated section for micromobility, a reflection of its popularity at the time. Micromobility went through a period of consolidation and tightening capital, which forced the industry to grow up. But it hasn't disappeared, and that's why I'm bringing it back this week (and occasionally in the future). Reporter Rebecca Bellan hosted a roundtable with Voi CEO Fredrik Hjelm, Bird co-CEO Michael Washinushi, and Dott/Tier CEO Henri Moissinac at the Micromobility Europe event in Brussels. Here are some of her insights from the panel and from the broader event: Shared micromobility has evolved from a public nuisance to a viable form of public transportation. Cities like Paris are now handing out four-year contracts, which will help operators set down roots. Europe has had an easier time of it than the U.S. Washinushi reckons North America is 18 to 24 months behind Europe in accepting micromobility as public transportation. The companies that have survived the last few years are better and stronger, and are now working toward profitability and deepening growth in core markets. Bird, for example, is estimating it is 12 to 18 months away from free cash flow positivity. Operators are doing that in a number of ways. Voi, for example, is tapping LLMs to turn user feedback into real-time, actionable insights. Voi also said it would be interested in acquiring companies, like Bolt's micromobility business, to deepen its foothold. All of the companies said they plan to add more e-bikes to the mix. Washinushi also noted that Bird is prioritizing using data to deploy vehicles at the right place and time. The CEOs also said that they want to see more from cities in terms of enforcing scooter caps, policing rider behavior, and creating dedicated infrastructure like protected bike lanes. Other micromobility news … Honda launched an all-electric last-mile delivery vehicle called the Fastport eQuad. The eQuad comes in two sizes built on the same basic platform, small and large. Both are smaller than the smallest Mini Cooper but can carry between 320 and 650 pounds. They have pedals, and their top speed is limited to 12 mph (20 kph), both requirements to keep them bike-lane legal. VanMoof is back and has launched its first e-bike since bankruptcy. Reporter Rebecca Bellan digs into what is the same and what has changed at VanMoof. Bellan also provided a list of startups rolling out of Europe's early-stage micromobility scene. Notable reads and other tidbits Image Credits:Bryce Durbin Autonomous vehicles Zoox has opened its first full-fledged production facility, where it expects to one day build 10,000 robotaxis per year. Electric vehicles, batteries, & charging Tesla has partnered with Electrify Expo to launch full-weekend EV test drives. This is an interesting move by Tesla, which has historically used other methods besides third-party events like auto shows or expos to attract new customers. It also could make Electrify Expo a target of protestors who are behind the Tesla Takedown movement. Car-sharing and ride-hailing Zoomcar, the Indian car-sharing marketplace, said a hacker accessed the personal data of at least 8.4 million customers, including their names, phone numbers, and car registration numbers. The company became aware of the incident after some of its employees received external communications from a threat actor who claimed to have gained access to the company's data. Future of flight The Paris Air Show included lots of news under the ever-evolving category I call 'Future of flight.' Too much to cover everything here, but there were a few highlights: an announcement from U.S. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy that the Federal Aviation Administration and four other regulators will collaborate on an advanced air mobility (AAM) roadmap; Archer Aviation showcased its Midnight aircraft and hosted delegations from more than 20 countries; and Beta Technologies' Alia became the first electric aircraft to fly at the show.
TechCrunch
13-06-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Meta's big AI bet and our not-so-hot-take on fintech IPOs
Meta just made a $14.3 billion bet on data-labeling company Scale AI, but it's not a traditional takeover: Meta's taking a 49% stake in the company and adding Scale's co-founder Alexandr Wang to its team. The move signals Meta's growing urgency to keep up in the AI race, even if its strategy for competing with heavyweights like OpenAI and Google is still a little confusing. Today, on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff, and Anthony Ha break down the deal, dig up an interview from Kirsten's archives featuring Wang's early predictions for AI, and ask whether Meta's really buying a game-changer or just adding a well-connected dealmaker to its roster at a time when its own AI ambitions are falling further and further behind. Listen to the full episode to hear more highlights from the week, including: How Chime's IPO priced above expectations at $27 per share and jumped in early trading, and Anthony's not-so-hot takes on what this signals for the tech IPO market Why Y Combinator's Demo Day was packed with 'agentic' AI startups building autonomous software, and how a recent chat with Fiverr's CEO sheds light on AI-driven task automation in the gig economy How Jony Ive's LoveFrom spent 18 months quietly collaborating with Rivian on their first electric bike, a spinout product confirmed to have a bike-like form factor Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned! Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
TechCrunch Mobility: Uber Freight's AI bet, Tesla's robotaxi caveat, and Nikola's trucks hit the auction block
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! For those U.S.-based readers out there, enjoy the long Memorial Day weekend, and if you're on the road, expect it to be crowded. AAA projects 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period, from Thursday to Monday. About 39.4 million of those folks will use a car. Let's get to it! This edition has news on loads of companies, including Aurora, Uber, Tesla, and Waymo. Plus, a number of startups you may be interested in. Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at or my Signal at kkorosec.07, Sean O'Kane at or Rebecca Bellan at Or check out these instructions to learn how to contact us via encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop. Luminar, the lidar startup turned SPAC, appears to be grasping for capital. Why else would the company make a deal with Yorkville Advisors Global that could bring another $200 million into its coffers through the sale of convertible preferred stock over an 18-month period? Under the terms, Luminar will issue $35 million in convertible preferred stock to the investors. Luminar may issue additional tranches in amounts of up to $35 million no more than every 60 days at a purchase price equal to 96% of the stated value of the convertible preferred stock. You might recall Luminar's board recently replaced founder Austin Russell as its CEO. The company is also going through another restructuring — its third in a year. Other deals that got my attention … SparkCharge, which offers what it calls 'charging-as-a-service' for fleets, raised $15.5 million in a Series A-1 round led by Monte's Fam, with participation from Cleveland Avenue, Collab Capital, Elemental Impact, MarcyPen, and non sibi ventures. Alongside the equity round, SparkCharge also secured a $15 million venture loan from Horizon Technology Finance Corp. Sylndr, a Cairo-based online used car sales startup that is expanding into auto financing, servicing, and tools for dealers, raised $15.7 million. The round was led by Development Partners International's Nclude Fund. The startup also raised nearly $10 million in debt financing from local banks in the past year. Is an auction a deal? Perhaps for someone. Nikola's hydrogen trucks, which have a value of about $114 million, are up for auction — one of the company's last steps in unloading all of its assets after filing for bankruptcy in February. Aurora has put human 'observers' in its self-driving trucks at the request of its partner PACCAR, a disclosure that has some scratching their heads about the move. To be clear, these 'observers' are not human safety operators, meaning they can't intervene. An Aurora spokesperson confirmed and noted they have a different role than the human safety operators in the company's supervised hauls. This news prompted folks to send me a slew of messages with questions like 'Why?' and 'What's the point?' Einride founder Robert Falck is stepping down from the role of CEO. Einride's CFO, Roozbeh Charli, will take over the role of chief executive effective immediately. Reliable Robotics, the autonomous aviation company, appointed Marc Stoll as its new CFO. Stoll is the former VP of Finance at Apple and partner at Eclipse Ventures. Zoox has completed the 'initial mapping phase' and will begin testing its self-driving vehicles in Atlanta later this summer. The California Public Utilities Commission approved Waymo's request to expand its commercial robotaxi service area into more communities south of San Francisco. Meanwhile, Waymo and Uber plan to start offering robotaxi rides in Atlanta to select customers who signed onto a waitlist earlier this year. Tesla plans to limit where its robotaxis operate in Austin, Texas, to specific areas the company deems 'the safest,' according to Elon Musk. Using a geofence represents a major strategy shift for Musk, who spent years claiming his company would be able to create a general-purpose self-driving solution that could be dropped into any location and work without human supervision. Arc unveiled a new electric boat called the Arc Coast, a $168,000 watercraft with a center console design. Senate Republicans have voted to overturn a waiver that allowed California to set stricter air pollution standards for vehicles. The state has received waivers more than 100 times since federal laws granted the right some 50 years ago. Uber plans to launch a B2B logistics service in India through a partnership with a government-backed nonprofit that aims to break the domination of Flipkart, the e-commerce giant backed by Amazon and Walmart. Uber Freight recently launched a suite of AI features to shippers around the world as part of its existing supply chain software. That includes an expansion of Insights AI, which Uber Freight quietly launched in 2023, as well as more than 30 AI agents built to 'execute key logistics tasks throughout the freight lifecycle.' Senior reporter Sean O'Kane interviewed CEO Lior Ron about the company's dive into AI — including the how, why, and what's next. Yup, 'This week's wheels' is back with Rebecca Bellan, who writes about her time on the new Heybike Alpha, a sturdy, fat-tire, all-terrain e-bike with a $1,699 price tag. The entire review can be read here. For those who want the highlights: The Alpha ticked a lot of boxes for Bellan — notably the mid-drive motor with torque sensor and long-lasting battery. There were some frustrations, though, too. Putting the bike together, the app, and outsized horn were disappointments. But generally, Rebecca felt the Alpha was an excellent all-around e-bike, whether you want to take it on off-road adventures or use it in the city to do your weekly Trader Joe's shopping. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
TechCrunch Mobility: Inside Waymo's deal with SFO, Elon's moment of truth, and BYD's breakthrough
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Before we jump into the news, just a quick bit of housekeeping. I'm putting 'This week's wheels' on hiatus for a few weeks as I get into more EVs, hybrids, e-bikes, and robotaxis. Stay tuned! Waymo reached a deal with the San Francisco Airport Commission — and by extension the city — to use its vehicles to map the airport roadways. That news received widespread coverage because of the potential for the city to eventually give Waymo permission to expand its robotaxi service to the airport. For now, this only covers mapping and the vehicles will be manually driven. Some little birds shared with us the terms of the agreement, which include two important points. One source described these as 'concessions.' And it's likely these terms will show up in future agreements. Waymo has agreed to data-sharing after each mapping session per vehicle, according to the agreement that TechCrunch viewed. This 'data interface agreement' requires Waymo to track its vehicles as they enter and exit the airport and provide the time, geographic location, identification, trip identifier, transaction type, driver-based unique identifier, and vehicle license plate number, according to the agreement. The agreement also prohibits Waymo from using autonomous vehicles to move commercial goods. Sure Waymo no longer has a self-driving trucks program, but language like this matters for groups like the Teamsters. Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at or my Signal at kkorosec.07, Sean O'Kane at or Rebecca Bellan at Or check out these instructions to learn how to contact us via encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop. Just a few deals this week … Coreshell, the battery materials startup, raised $24 million in a Series A2 round led by Ferroglobe, which is also Coreshell's silicon supplier. Asymmetry Ventures, Estrada Ventures, Foothill Ventures, Helios Climate Ventures, Lane Venture, Translink Investment, Trousdale Ventures, and Zeon Ventures also participated. Einride, the Swedish driverless truck startup, is in talks about filing for an IPO that could value the company at more than $5 billion, Financial Times reported. Evera, a French EV subscription startup, raised 2 million euro from Groupe Magellim and Newfund NAEH Innopy, MCapital, AstoryaVC, and business angel Eric Ibled. Leta, the African logistics software-as-a-service provider, raised $5 million in seed funding led by European VC firm Speedinvest. Google's Africa Investment Fund and Equator, an Africa-focused climate tech fund, also participated. Pulsetrain, a battery tech startup, secured €6.1 million in a seed round co-led by Vsquared Ventures and Planet. Climate Club also joined. Seadronix, a South Korea-based autonomous ship navigation company, raised $11.3 million in a Series B funding round that included new investors LB Investment, KB Investment, and the Korea Development Bank. The fund included existing backers Wonik Investment Partners and Lighthouse Combined Investment. Ever wonder what inspired Nvidia to go 'all in' on self-driving cars? Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang snuck in a history lesson during his GTC keynote. Speaking of Nvidia's GTC conference, there was a bunch of AV-related announcements. Check out this roundup, which covers deals with Gatik, GM, Torc, and more. Zoox issued a voluntary recall for 258 vehicles due to issues with its autonomous driving system that could cause unexpected hard braking. BYD announced new EV charging technology that, if it comes to fruition, will blow away the competition and be as fast as fueling up a gas-powered car. Honda and its luxury and performance brand Acura will gain access to the Tesla Supercharger network in June. Dig in: We have a handy roundup of all the brands that have access. Tesla and Rivian are nailing the EV-charging experience. The two companies have the fewest problems, according to a survey by Consumer Reports. The worst: Shell's Recharge network, EVgo, and Blink. Meanwhile, Tesla is not doing so well with the Cybertruck — even though it continues to outsell other EV trucks. The automaker issued a recall for around 46,000 Cybertrucks sold to date because of an exterior steel trim panel on the side of the windshield that can peel off. And finally, and still on the Tesla front, analyst Dan Ives at Wedbush Securities pleaded with Elon Musk in a note published Thursday to reduce his role working with the Department of Government Efficiency. He said Musk is facing a 'moment of truth' at his EV company because of a 'crisis' he's created by spending so much time in the Trump administration. Joby Aviation has partnered with Virgin Atlantic to launch electric air taxis in the U.K., marking the seventh country in which the startup hopes to one day commercialize. Reminder: We first reported on this potential partnership in our "A little bird" section last year. Well, I suppose this is an in-car and out-of-the-car tech story. I'm talking about the expanded collaboration between GM and Nvidia, which was announced at the GTC conference. TL;DR: GM will work with Nvidia to build custom AI systems using several of the tech giant's products. The idea is to bring AI to GM's physical world of factories, robots, and cars. More details here. Tesla received a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission, news that some have conflated or inaccurately reported on. Here's what Tesla can and cannot do with this transportation charter permit. Sign in to access your portfolio
