After India, OpenAI launches its affordable ChatGPT Go plan in Indonesia
OpenAI is launching ChatGPT Go in Indonesia to compete with Google AI Plus plan. OpenAI is launching ChatGPT Go in Indonesia to compete with Google AI Plus plan.
Rocket.new, one of India’s first vibe-coding startups, snags $15M from Accel, Salesforce Ventures
Rocket.new has surged to 400,000 users and $4.5M ARR in three months. Rocket.new has surged to 400,000 users and $4.5M ARR in three months.
Matt: Post-Earthquake Tea Grit
The 4.7 earthquake definitely disturbed my sleep last night, so it’s nice to have a Cuzen Matcha shot and some Harney & Sons Paris tea to wake up and get me through the day. Speaking of spilling tea, I had a great conversation with Joubin Mirzadegan of the storied VC firm Kleiner Perkins where we […]
Mirror founder Brynn Putnam to unveil her gaming hardware startup at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Seven years after unveiling Mirror at TechCrunch Disrupt 2018, Brynn Putnam is returning to the stage where it all began. Seven years after unveiling Mirror at TechCrunch Disrupt 2018, Brynn Putnam is returning to the stage where it all began.
Facebook is getting an AI dating assistant
Facebook Dating’s AI assistant is supposed to help users build their profiles and find the matches they’re looking for. Facebook Dating’s AI assistant is supposed to help users build their profiles and find the matches they’re looking for.
Powered by India’s small businesses, UK fintech Tide becomes a TPG-backed unicorn
Tide serves over 1.6 million micro and small enterprises globally, with more than half of them based in India. Tide serves over 1.6 million micro and small enterprises globally, with more than half of them based in India.
Matt: Work With Music
If you’re not playing music while you’re working, you’re missing out. It’s incredible how sounds can transform how our brain works. You can, on tap, put yourself into a different mode of being with music; you can change your drive, motivation, mood, and more. There are some apps that have started to hack this, such […]
VCs are still hiring MBAs, but firms are starting to need other experience more
The MBA-to-VC pipeline remains a very real thing. But that path is a little shakier than it once was, according to PitchBook reporting and new academic research. The MBA-to-VC pipeline remains a very real thing. But that path is a little shakier than it once was, according to PitchBook reporting and new academic research.
Silicon Valley bets big on ‘environments’ to train AI agents
A wave of startups are creating RL environments to help AI labs train agents. It might be Silicon Valley’s next craze in the making. A wave of startups are creating RL environments to help AI labs train agents. It might be Silicon Valley’s next craze in the making.
Matt: Books on Grieving
When my father passed unexpectedly, I was despondent. One thing I remember was the Amazon lovebomb I got from my high school girlfriend Sunaina Sondhi, five books to help me deal with the pain. Even a decade after we dated, books were her love language; in fact, she had given me my very first book […]
White House offers more details about potential TikTok deal
The White House press secretary said Americans will hold six of seven board seats in the restructured TikTok, and the video app’s algorithm will be U.S.-controlled. The White House press secretary said Americans will hold six of seven board seats in the restructured TikTok, and the video app’s algorithm will be U.S.-controlled.
Amazon, Google, Microsoft reportedly warn H-1B employees to stay in the US
Large tech companies have responded to President Donald Trump’s dramatic changes to H-1B visa applications by telling employees with those visas to remain in the United States for now. Large tech companies have responded to President Donald Trump’s dramatic changes to H-1B visa applications by telling employees with those visas to remain in the United States […]
How Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni used Gen Z methods to raise $8M for Phia
Phia raises $8M seed round in deal led by Kleiner Perkins. Phia raises $8M seed round in deal led by Kleiner Perkins.
Google isn’t kidding around about cost cutting, even slashing its FT subscription
These cuts may save Google mere thousands; they also come as Google faces increasingly strained relationships with news publishers. These cuts may save Google mere thousands; they also come as Google faces increasingly strained relationships with news publishers.
Matt: MCP Everywhere
MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. (The joke is the S in MCP stands for security, but that’s another post.) They say to think of it like “like a USB-C port for AI applications” because it allows interoperability between AI chatbots and other tools. Here’s some of the MCP stuff happening across the Automattic solar […]
Trump hits H-1B visas with $100,000 fee, targeting the program that launched Elon Musk and Instagram
President Trump signed a proclamation Friday requiring employers to pay a hefty $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications—an enormous jump from the current $215 lottery registration fee—targeting the very program that helped create some of Silicon Valley’s biggest success stories. President Trump signed a proclamation Friday requiring employers to pay a hefty $100,000 fee for […]
Why California’s SB 53 might provide a meaningful check on big AI companies
Equity debates California’s new AI safety bill and why it has a better shot at becoming law. Equity debates California’s new AI safety bill and why it has a better shot at becoming law.
Nvidia eyes $500M investment into self-driving tech startup Wayve
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took his first ride in a Wayve-equipped self-driving car through Central London. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took his first ride in a Wayve-equipped self-driving car through Central London.
Indian fintech Jar turns profitable by enabling millions to save in gold
Jar has been profitable after tax for the past two quarters. Jar has been profitable after tax for the past two quarters.
OpenAI’s research on AI models deliberately lying is wild
AI models don’t just hallucinate. They also “scheme,” meaning deliberately lie or hide their true intentions. AI models don’t just hallucinate. They also “scheme,” meaning deliberately lie or hide their true intentions.