Sunday, March 2, 2025

Image Credits: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg/Getty Images

OpenAI raised a big startup fund from outside investors — $175 million in its main fund and another $114 million in special purpose vehicles. Since the OpenAI Startup Fund was launched in 2021, it's backed more than a dozen startups (that we know of).

Marina Temkin rounds up all the investment announcements, from the Norwegian robotics startup 1X to Arianna Huffington's health coach startup Thrive AI. While these investments may not have a direct effect on OpenAI's bottom line, they offer hints about where its team sees the biggest opportunities as the AI ecosystem evolves.

Keep reading to see what else TechCrunch is covering this weekend.

Weekend news and opinion

Image Credits: Protector

Who needs an "Uber for guns"? Amanda Silberling writes about Protector, a startup offering users the opportunity to hire their very own security detail. The app is getting plenty of attention on social media, much of it negative, which may be the point — after all, the startup's adviser, Nikita Bier, has written about the appeal of rage bait app ideas. Read more

How to rid yourself of the new Apple Mail design: Amanda also discussed the new design of Apple Mail in iOS 18 — specifically, how to return your version of the app to the old design, and how to remove some additional visual clutter. Read more

What is Mistral AI? Well, it might be the only European startup that can compete with OpenAI. Anna Heim has this handy overview of the company's models, founders, business model, and anything else you might be wondering. Read more

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What else we're reading 📗

Wired reports that Google has been working with New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority to experiment with using consumer tech as a supplement to subway track inspections. So far, they've secured Pixel smartphones to subway cars on the A train, where they listen for suspicious sounds. Read more

Also, The New Yorker has an in-depth profile of Amelia Dimoldenberg, who's become famous for her YouTube talk show "Chicken Shop Date" — she'll be on the red carpet at tonight's Academy Awards. Read more