Techcrunch blog!: @x username owner says he's still waiting to hear from company formerly known as Twitter

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

In today's top story, when "X" gon' give it to ya, it really does. The owner of the @x handle on Twitter says no one reached out ahead of Twitter's rebranding to "X," though can we really be surprised? Learn more about the person behind the @x.

Meanwhile, there's more drama over at Indian edtech giant Byju’s. This time, a board member from Prosus, one of the company's largest investors, stepped down. In addition, the investor had some choice words for the company, where other key investors previously quit the startup's board. Read more.

And if you're on the lookout for the perfect cut, meet the Aura by Glowforge, a laser cutter that is smaller and cheaper than Glowforge's previous models. Find out if it makes the cut.

Image Credits: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

More top reads

We know you've been on pins and needles waiting for these new Threads features: Meta is finally rolling out a "Following" feed. But wait, there's more — the ability to see posts you've liked in your settings is coming soon. Read more.

Sold!: Thales enters app security market with $3.6 billion Imperva acquisition.

All are admitted: The Browser Co.'s Arc browser is now available to download for everyone.

This one hit a snag: Amazon lowers its iRobot purchase price by 15% amid regulatory scrutiny.

Shopper's delight: Stay Ai's tech helps Shopify brands get customers to make that second purchase.

Token asset: Avalanche Foundation will invest $50 million in asset tokenization on its blockchain.

You need a new couch: Wayfair's new app uses generative AI to transform your space.

Moving on: Jeeves expands beyond corporate credit cards as annualized revenue hits over $40 million.

Listen up: Spotify reports strong user growth amid subscription price hike.

What's up with WhatsApp: WhatsApp expands its Channels feature for broadcasting to more countries.

It's the final countdown: Ivanti rushes to patch zero-day used to breach Norway's government.

Don’t call it a comeback: As it turns out, General Motors isn't going to kill off the Chevy Bolt EV after all.

Add these to your Tuesday reading list:

Cloud camera security startup Solink raises $60M

African governments are collaborating with innovators to strengthen local health supply chains

Akooda is using AI to help companies understand their business with fewer meetings

Growth driven by AI will be the metric to watch this earnings cycle (TC+)

Image Credits: Patrycja Chociej / Unsplash

From the "pod" files

First up, Chain Reaction has a bonus episode today: Jacquelyn interviews Stu Alderoty, chief legal officer of Ripple Labs. Alderoty broke down the debate around whether crypto assets are securities or commodities. He also got into Ripple's recent win in a lawsuit brought on by the SEC, and he shares how he thinks the lack of regulatory clarity in the U.S. will affect innovation in the industry. Listen here.

On today's episode of Found: Dominic and Becca talk with Mandy Price from Kanarys, a SaaS startup that helps companies tackle their diversity and inclusion problems with data. Mandy talked about why she started the company after a decade-long career as a lawyer. She also talked about why she didn't want Kanarys to just focus on hiring metrics (as many other DEI platforms are) and discusses when the company started building out its sales team after years of inbound interest. Listen here.

Image Credits: Bryce Durbin

Fund of funds could be the perfect vehicle for backing diverse, emerging fund managers

A pooled investment fund — better known as a fund of funds (FoF) — gives LPs and investors “a way to enter a market, sometimes to get into early-stage deals,” explains Dominic Madori-Davis.

But is the evolving model fostering a more diverse community of investors (and hopefully, founders)?

To learn more, she interviewed several FoF managers and found that “as with most debates regarding diversity within venture, the argument always boils down to who is willing to take the risk.”

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