Micro1, a competitor to Scale AI, raises funds at $500M valuation

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this afternoon

View this email online in your browser  September 12, 2025 TechCrunch Top 3 Micro1, a competitor to Scale AI, raises funds at $500M valuation: A three-year-old startup providing data for AI labs is trying to fill the gap in the market left by Scale AI. Read More New FAA program will let eVTOL startups test some operations before full certification: It's a major change that paves the way for electric air taxi startups to perform more robust demonstrations of their technology before they begin any commercial flights. Read More Google is a 'bad actor' says People CEO, accusing the company of stealing content: People CEO Neil Vogel says Google's AI crawler can't be blocked because it would block the web crawler too. This lets the search giant steal its content for AI. Read More A message from Silicon Valley Bank SVB helps you scale to and through Series A With deep industry expertise and a commitment to innovation, SVB is the partner you need to help you get to A, B, and beyond. Scale with confidence with SVB by your side. Learn More Afternoon Must-Reads Why the Oracle-OpenAI deal caught Wall Street by surprise: The $300B deal is a reminder that despite Oracle's legacy status, it shouldn't be overlooked when it comes to AI infrastructure. But key questions around power and how OpenAI will pay for this remain. Read More All of the iPhone 17 models compared: All four of the devices will be available to preorder on Friday and will be available on September 19. Read More We are entering a golden age of robotics startups — and not just because of AI: The robotics startup market has matured over the last decade and the cost to produce robots has gone down significantly. Read More Preparing for your later-stage raise: Insider strategies from top investors at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Planning your Series C and beyond? Hear from IVP's Zeya Yang, Generation's Lila Preston, and Diligent Robotics' Andrea Thomaz on the Builders Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, October 27–29 in San Francisco. Read More Via shrugs off tepid open to end first day of trading slightly above IPO price: Transit tech software startup Via had its IPO debut on Friday, starting at below offering price before rising to close at nearly $50. Read More A message from Google Cloud Google AI Builders Forum | Live September 18, at 4 p.m. PT Join David Friedberg, AI experts, and top founders for a livestream event. We'll break down the essential strategies and technologies you need to build a competitive business in the era of AI. Add to calendar Be the first to know when news breaks Subscribe to our News Alerts, and you won't miss a thing. Breaking news, exclusives, and special reports—straight to your inbox. Sign up for News Alerts! Last but Not Least How an over-the-air update made Quilt's heat pumps more powerful: Quilt's software update unlocked an additional 20% heating and cooling capacity for all of its heat pumps, including those installed in customers' homes. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2025 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107