500 Startups is ramping up its next batch of companies in its early stage startup program, which this time consists of 36 startups. The firm’s pitch to companies entering the accelerator has generally been that it can better help support…
Category: Wisest
Audioburst launches a web and mobile search engine for audio news
Audio is beginning to play an increasingly important role in how consumers connect with information, thanks to the popularity of podcasts and other short-form audio programming, improvements in voice technologies, and the growing consumer adoption of smart home devices like…
BlueJeans Network names industry vet Quentin Gallivan as CEO
BlueJeans Network, the cloud video and collaboration company, announced today that Quentin Gallivan, an industry veteran who has helped run several tech companies, will be taking over as CEO. Former CEO and company founder Krish Ramakrishnan will remain with the…
BlackPods brings your AirPods to the dark side
This is the story of a guy who found a niche and stuck with it. The guy is a programmer named Nick who was worried about Apple’s wireless AirPods. He thought they looked stupid. “I didn’t have particularly high hopes…
Rothy’s, whose ballet flats are all over Facebook and Pinterest, has raised $7 million in funding
You’ve likely seen them plastered across your social media accounts, if not on someone’s feet in San Francisco, where the company is based: attractive women’s flats in bright red with black soles, or bright red with pink stripes and blue…
Aerostat startup Altaeros gets $7.5M from SoftBank to bring broadband wireless to rural areas
Altaeros, a Boston-based startup that develops autonomous aerostats, announced today that it has received $7.5 million in new funding from SoftBank Group. The capital will speed up the launch of SuperTower, a project that uses Altaeros’ tethered balloons (pictured above)…
A look back in IPO: Microsoft, the software success
Alex Wilhelm is the editor-in-chief of Crunchbase News and co-host of Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast. More posts by this contributor: We’re taking a look at the IPOs of tech’s biggest players — firms we call the Big 5. We started…
Facebook says it’s removing accidental clicks from its ad network
Advertisers on Facebook’s Audience Network will no longer have to worry that they’re paying for users who accidentally clicked on their ads. I’m betting we’ve all had moments where we were scrolling or swiping or clicking through a website/mobile app…
Guideline raises $15 million led by Felicis to make 401(k)s more widely available
Everyone should be saving for retirement, but not everyone has an employer that offers a 401(k) plan. Guideline wants to change that, and the company has raised $15 million to grow its base of small business customers making retirement more attainable for…
MojiLaLa, the sticker marketplace, lands $1.5M seed round from Great Oaks, betaworks
The launch of iOS 10 and its iMessage Store has launched emojis and stickers into mainstream communication. In fact, 6 billion emoticons are sent every day. And a new startup called MojiLaLa is looking to capitalize, both figuratively and literally.…