FieldAI raises $405M to build universal robot brains
FieldAI builds foundational AI models that help all kinds of robots learn and adapt to new environments using physics.
Startups
Deel scores a lawsuit win, but not against Rippling
While Deel is calling this a “Rippling-aligned” suit, it’s not the lawsuit filed by Rippling involving an alleged corporate spy.
Discover how developer tools are shifting fast with Lauri Moore and David Cramer at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
From no-code to AI-assisted dev environments, “vibe coding” is changing how early-stage startups build — and who they need to hire. The once-standard idea of landing a “10x engineer” as your first critical hire is getting a serious reality check with Lauri Moore (Bessemer) and David Cramer (Sentry) on the Builder Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in October at San Francisco’s Moscone West.
Databricks CEO says fresh $1B will help him attack a new AI database market
The round, which pushes Databricks’ valuation to $100B, was co-led by Insight Partners and Thrive. CEO Ali Ghodsi says he’s found an enormous untapped AI agent market to spend the funds.
Your next customer is on the TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 expo floor — will they find you or your competitor?
There’s still time to book your exhibit table, but space is disappearing fast. The brands that move now will be the ones getting the face time, the leads, and the traction that matters most.
India’s government to propose blanket ban on real-money gaming
The Indian government plans to ban real-money games — whether skill- or chance-based — under its proposed online gaming regulation.
CPG startup Keychain snags $30M to build in India, grow in the U.S.
Keychain doesn’t have a single customer in India — but the team helping it scale across North America and beyond is entirely based in Gurugram, a suburb of New Delhi.
AI crawler Firecrawl raises $14.5M, is still looking to hire agents as employees
Firecrawl nabbed Shopify’s CEO Tobias Lütke as an investor from a gutsy email after they discovered he was using the product.