Nonprofits, universities and banks on victim list leaked by Russia-linked ransomware gang

TechCrunch Newsletter

By Haje Jan Kamps Thursday, June 15, 2023

Exciting times in games land today, as Ingrid reports that Wargraphs, a gaming startup with only one employee and no outside funding, sells for $54 million, delivering a hell of a payday for its 33-year-old founder.  Our cybersecurity reporting team is firing on all cylinders, as well, with Carly reporting that a ransomware gang lists first victims of MOVEit mass-hacks, and it turns out the affected includes U.S. banks and universities. Meanwhile, Zack reports that Mandiant says China-backed hackers exploited Barracuda zero-day to spy on governments. And Manish reports that Lightspeed says India is not for the faint-hearted amid Sequoia split.  Image Credits: Bryce Durbin / TechCrunch

More top stories Can't touch this: On TC+, Tim sheds some light on why every EV charging network combined can't compete with Tesla.  A BYD for market domination: Rita reports that BYD is overtaking Tesla globally, but that its EV dream skips the US for now. Think first, AI later: Natasha reports that a UK watchdog warns not to rush generative AI apps to market without tackling privacy risks. Recharging women's health: Catherine reports that, with backing from Thiel, Recharge Capital launches a $200 million women's health investment vehicle. Get that sweet sweet Canva money: Ron reports that Canva introduced new developer tools and a $50 million investment fund. On that note, over on TC+, Alex reports that Cava's explosive IPO hints that public markets are more ready for growth stories than founders have thought. Today's 'didn't see that coming' comes from Devin, who writes that Mercedes is adding ChatGPT to its infotainment system for some reason.  If you haven't fully figured out ChatGPT yet, Kyle has a primer: ChatGPT prompts: How to optimize for sales, marketing, writing, and more. Hey Mickey you're so fine, please use your voice to blow my mind, hey Mickey: Lauren reports that Amazon's 'Hey Disney!' voice assistant is now available.

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New guidance from the US Treasury could unleash billions in renewable energy investment Under new rules released by the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of the Treasury, local, state and Tribal governments can now access clean energy tax credits. “The changes could pave the way for hundreds of billions of dollars worth of investment in the coming decade,” reports Tim De Chant. “That tidal microturbine startup you've been incubating? Now might be a great time to start looking for investors.” TechCrunch+ is our membership program that helps founders and startup teams get ahead of the pack. You can sign up here. Use code "DC" for a 15% discount on an annual subscription. Read More Image Credits: Marty Caivano/Digital First Media/Boulder Daily Camera / Getty Images

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300+ subreddits promise ongoing blackout after Reddit CEO dismisses protest as 'a lot of noise'

TechCrunch Newsletter

By Haje Jan Kamps Wednesday, June 14, 2023

It's another day packed to the gills with AI-related news. Here's a selection:  Kyle reports that Synthesia secures $90 million for AI that generates custom avatars. Paul reports that Versed wants to help storytellers create video games using generative AI, backed by Google's Gradient. Also from Google, the search giant is introducing AI-powered travel and product search features. Frederic writes about OctoML launching OctoAI, a self-optimizing compute service for AI. And finally, in the Found podcast, Becca and Dominic-Madori investigate what it takes to mitigate AI biases in healthcare, featuring Amy Brown from Authenticx. Image Credits: Greg Doherty / Variety / Getty Images

Other top stories across TechCrunch today  So long and thanks for all the memes: Ivan reports that hundreds of subreddits plan to go dark indefinitely after Reddit CEO's internal memo pours more fuel on the user chaos debacle.  Failed to check that one: Devin reports that Twitter is being evicted from its Boulder office over unpaid rent. Like a giant electric snail with its house on its back: Kirsten reports that Pebble Mobility wants to build the iPhone of electric RVs. Bigger and heavier isn't helpful: On TC+ today, I opine that EVs are going backwards – we need more efficient EVs, not bigger and heavier trucks and SUVs. The timing for the piece was kind of perfect – while not being known for its EV program, Toyota says its next-gen EVs will have over 600 miles of range. Well, to their credit… Paul reports that TransUnion put Equifax in its sights, and invested $24 million in income verification platform Truework. Yeah but is it 'all you can eat': Lauren reports that Netflix will open a restaurant that serves food from 'Chef's Table,' 'Nailed It!' and more. Smarter clouds: Ingrid reports that Informatica acquires Privitar, once valued at $400 million, to expand its data management stack. When the SEC comes sniffing: On TC+, Jacquelyn reports that former SEC chair Jay Clayton feels 'vast majority' of crypto tokens are securities.

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