Summary: Mozilla is investing in decentralized social networking applications, like Mastodon, in an effort to rethink social networking from the ground up. Mozilla believes that existing social networks are profit-driven and don’t prioritize consumer needs. The company aims to help the fediverse gain traction and provide a better alternative to centralized social networking. They are…
Summary: Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), which experienced a dramatic collapse eight months ago, sponsored and hosted events at AfroTech, a Black tech conference. Some Black techies found SVB’s presence in poor taste, as the fallout impacted many Black founders who had banked with the institution. One founder, Luke Bailey, respected SVB but never banked with…
Summary: Founders should have a plan in place for breaking up Building in public can help attract investors AirLoom is working on lowering the cost of wind power There are now 1,483 unicorns worth $5 trillion combined Sam Bankman-Fried said “I don’t remember” and “yup” a lot during his testimony Ted’s Take: Who needs a…
Summary: Electric mobility startup Revel is shutting down its shared moped business in New York City and San Francisco. The company will now focus on its electric ride-hail and EV charging businesses. Revel had more than 3,000 e-mopeds in New York City and another 3,000 across Washington, D.C., Miami and San Francisco. Revel’s ride-hail service…
Summary: The tech industry has experienced over 240,000 job losses in 2023, surpassing the total number of layoffs in 2022. Major tech companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Yahoo, Meta, and Zoom have all implemented significant workforce reductions. Tech startups across various sectors have also announced cutbacks throughout the year. Despite hopes of a tech sector…
Summary: ChatGPT, OpenAI’s AI chatbot, has become a popular tool for generating text prompts and code snippets. Major brands are now experimenting with ChatGPT for ad and marketing copy. OpenAI has made updates to ChatGPT, including integrating it with the internet, giving users access to GPT-4, and allowing image generation with DALL-E 3. ChatGPT has…
Summary: The success of a startup lies in its ability to solve complex problems and provide a unique value proposition. Startups should aim to tackle difficult problems that may initially seem impossible, as this can lead to industry recognition and success. Recent cybersecurity developments include internet connectivity issues in Gaza and potential state-sponsored attacks on…
Summary: Boox, a sub-brand of Chinese company Onyx, has released a range of e-readers that offer power, compactness, and customization as alternatives to Kindle and Kobo. Boox devices are known for their build quality and customizability, but they have crowded interfaces and limited app selection. The Poke 5 is a six-inch e-reader with a flush…
Summary: Bletchley Park in the UK hosted the world’s first AI Safety Summit, where the Bletchley Declaration on AI safety was signed. The event aimed to position the UK as a central player in the AI conversation. France will be hosting the next in-person AI Safety Summit. French minister of finance Bruno Le Maire attended…
Summary: Fintech giant Klarna has reached an agreement with workers in Sweden who were planning to go on strike next week. The dispute was over the lack of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Klarna and the workers’ union. Klarna has now agreed to join the Banks Employer Organisation and sign a CBA that includes…