Day: February 13, 2020

When Google announced that it was acquiring data analytics startup Looker for $2.6 billion, it was a big deal on a couple of levels. It was a lot of money and it represented the first large deal under the leadership of Thomas Kurian. Today, the company announced that deal has officially closed and Looker is […]

With Google and Facebook yielding massive control over the online ad market, leaving only scraps for other ad platforms, perhaps it was only natural that tech startups would take a step back and start to look for opportunities in selling billboards. AdQuick, a marketplace for out of home (OOH) advertising, tells TechCrunch that it has […]

Moving data to the cloud from an on-prem data warehouse like Teradata is a hard problem to solve, especially if you’ve built custom applications that are based on that data. Datometry, a San Francisco startup, has developed a solution to solve that issue, and today it announced a $17 million Series B investment. WRVI Capital […]

It’s an end of an era, and you might just want to snap a photo and upload it for others to purchase. Jon Oringer, who founded New York City-based Shutterstock in 2003, announced today that he would be stepping away from his duties as CEO at the photo sharing and commerce company, effective in April. […]

Tesla said Thursday it plans to raise more than $2 billion through a common stock offering and will use the funds to strengthen its balance sheet and for general corporate purposes, despite signaling just two weeks ago that it would not seek to raise more cash. Tesla CEO Elon Musk will purchase up to $10 […]

A new project called GameSnacks is launching today from Google’s in-house incubator, Area 120, with the goal of bringing fast-loading, casual online games to users in developing markets. Billions of people are coming online through mobile devices. But they’re often on low memory devices with expensive data plans and struggle with unreliable network connections. That […]

Mass is money when it comes to the rocket launch business, and any small savings you can eke out can add up to big savings. That’s been the driving force behind the growing commercialization of space and the rapid rise of the small satellite industry. Now Australian rocket startup Gilmour Space has received a $3 […]

GumGum is announcing that it’s raised $22 million from existing investors Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital, NEA spinout NewView Capital and Upfront Ventures. CEO Phil Schraeder said he’ll use the funds to pursue a more aggressive acquisition strategy. This Series D comes nearly five years after GumGum raised a $26 million Series C. Schraeder told me […]

Bernard Coleman, Uber’s first-ever head of diversity, has left the company, TechCrunch has learned. His last day was Friday, January 17. “Bernard’s contributions over the years helped make Uber a more inclusive and diverse company and we wish him all the best,” an Uber spokesperson told TechCrunch. Coleman’s next stop is payroll startup Gusto, where […]

Uber is piloting a new feature aimed at older adults that will let customers dial a 1-800 number and speak to an actual human being to hail a ride. The move isn’t just a departure from its app roots; it’s another sign that Uber is trying to transform into a transportation company that serves a […]