June 25, 2026

TechCrunch Top 3

Anthropic's Claude is winning over paid consumers, a market owned by ChatGPT: Despite ChatGPT's commanding market lead, consumers who pay for AI have been increasingly choosing Anthropic's Claude, data shows. Read More

Databricks’ former AI chief thinks he can cut AI’s power bill by 1,000x: Un-0 is an image-generation system tool that shows for the first time how the company's technology can replicate conventional AI systems. Read More

Patronus AI lands $50M to build ‘digital worlds’ that stress-test AI agents: Agent testing startup Patronus AI, founded by former Meta AI researchers, is experiencing nearly insatiable demand, its investor says. Read More

A message from EY

The hard questions show up before the big exit.

Investors will ask for financial rigor sooner than you think. EY teams bring deep tech startup experience —part of Silicon Valley since it was just a valley — and has helped successful names go from startup to exit to mega-cap. With teams across strategy, tax, audit and transactions, we can help you get investor-ready early. Keep building. We’ll handle the rest.

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Afternoon Must-Reads

Cellebrite said it cut off Russia, but Russia used its tools anyway: Security researchers found evidence that Russian authorities hacked the iPhone of a political opponent using a phone-unlocking device made by Cellebrite, even after the company said it would stop selling to Putin’s government. Read More

Google Finance gets a dedicated app for Android: Users will be able to access their watchlists, real-time market data, live financial news, and Google's AI-powered "Key Moments" feature, which explains why stocks moved. Read More

Polymarket says hackers stole users' funds: The prediction market giant Polymarket said it's refunding users who had funds stolen due to a third-party breach. Read More

Apple raises Mac and iPad prices, spares iPhone for now: Apple raises prices of MacBook Air and Pro along with iPad Air and Pro. Read More

Trump administration proposes axing brake-pedal requirement for AVs in a boost for Tesla: The Department of Transportation wants to remove the brake-pedal requirement for vehicles "designed to be driven exclusively by automated driving systems." Read More

A message from Fidelity

Your Pitch Isn’t the Only Thing Investors Are Evaluating.

Investors don’t just listen to what you say - they look at how your company operates. Is ownership clear? Do your numbers match your story? Can you answer follow-up questions without digging through spreadsheets? The Fundraise-Ready Startup Kit equips founders with the materials investors expect to see, before pressure is on. Because confidence in the room doesn’t come from slides. It comes from preparation.

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Last but Not Least

Trump administration bars Polestar from selling its new EVs in the US: The Department of Commerce declined to give the Chinese-owned automaker a special authorization to keep selling EVs in the U.S. Read More