Welcome, folks, to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s regular newsletter that recaps the week in tech that was.
In this edition of WiR, we spotlight Brian’s CES 2024 preview, 23andMe blaming victims for its data breach, GitHub making Copilot Chat generally available and Frontdesk laying off its entire staff.
But first, a reminder to sign up here to receive WiR in your inbox every Saturday if you haven’t already done so.
Most readCES 2024: Brian has a thorough roundup of what to expect at CES 2024, including — but not limited to — generative AI, robotics, TVs, cars, smartphones, and health tech.
Frontdesk CEO Jesse DePinto said that Frontdesk would be filing for a state receivership, an alternative to bankruptcy, according to TechCrunch’s sources.
The convergence of Big Tech, finance, and government has enabled a new data economy.
The first movement in the megacycle was the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) when the EU championed data privacy in 2016.
Brazil stepped up and created comparative data privacy rights and is investing heavily in data infrastructure and regulation to enable citizens to capitalize on their personal data.
Data privacy will evolve into data ownership rights in 2024Our data could power an entirely new data economy that could benefit every person who participates in it or not, based on their decision-making.
The next tech megacycle — one in which everyday citizens worldwide own and control their personal data that powers AI — began about a year before the global COVID pandemic.
As Brian, Mary Ann and Zack wrote earlier this week, we lost a lot of startups in 2023, but honestly, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
Startups aren’t meant to last forever — they either evolve into a fully fledged corporation with a growth trajectory, or they cease existing altogether.
A tale of two pedalsTim Stevens did a deep dive, comparing the various driver assist systems currently on the market.
The EV free-for-all (except not free): EV fast-charging networks are bracing for a turbulent 2024 as they grapple with Tesla’s expanding Supercharger dominance.
: The New York Times is suing OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging they trained AI models on Times’ content without permission.
Welcome back, and welcome to 2024!
We’re starting the year off on a high note: After a mediocre 2023, investors are optimistic about exit activity picking back up in 2024.
Some think M&A activity will skyrocket, while others think we will see the IPO market bounce back.
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Dear Sophie,Our HR and operational consulting firm works primarily with tech startups.
At the end of 2022, like many, I made some predictions about what 2023 would bring to the technology investing ecosystem.
AI and data continue to dominate the funding landscape.
U.S. VC deals fall from $275 billion in 2022 to $200 billion in 2023, and sustain at about $200-$220 billion next year.
Valuations will remain relatively steady, except for AI businesses, which will command a premium of about 10-15% to the market.
While VC deals fell dramatically between 2022 and 2023, 2024 won’t see as sharp of a decline.
Most tech startups are born from a few early engineers building the company’s initial product.
As those first builders work together, they begin to establish a developer culture — sometimes deliberately, sometimes not.
At Web Summit in Lisbon in November, two founders discussed the importance of building a developer culture that’s distinct from a company’s overall culture.
And we really wanted to instill that in the developer culture early on,” she said.
Ludmila Pontremolez, CTO and co-founder at Zippi, a Brazilian fintech startup, spent time as an engineer at Square prior to launching Zippi.
The Swedish startup is announcing a number of partnerships that bring its Powerfoyle flexible solar cell tech to various products.
Ahead of the big event in Vegas, the company has announced a pair of headphones fueled by Powerfoyle tech.
There’s the over-ear Urbanista Los Angeles, which the company promises will deliver “virtually infinite playtime,” and the latest version of its Phoenix earbuds.
This is the second-generation Los Angeles product, following a pair released in 2021 that was among the first products on the market to integrate Exeger tech.
The company’s new Peltor brand headset also features a Powerfoyle cell built into its headband.
This edition of WiR spotlights Brian’s review of the new Amazon Echo Frames, MrBeast’s bizarre TV-like game show, the Apple Watch U.S. ban and the expected release date of the Apple Vision Pro.
Most readNew Echo Frames: Brian test drove Amazon’s new and improved Echo Frames, which feature upgraded sound and a 14-hour battery.
Apple Watch banned — then not: A recent U.S. ban on Apple Watch imports — centering on a pair of pulse oximetry sensor trademarks held by health tech company Masimo — nearly remained in place after the Biden administration declined to veto an earlier ruling by the International Trade Commission.
But then, an appeals court instituted a pause, allowing Apple to resume sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 — at least temporarily.
Hyperloop One crashes and burns: One of the longest-running hyperloop startups is reportedly shutting its doors.
It’s all a distant memory for tech companies looking to assert themselves as leading innovators for the coming year.
In spite of the aforementioned ongoing health issues, I’m actually kind of looking forward to this CES.
Speaking of robotics (as I often am), CES has been dipping its toes in those waters for a few years now.
Over the past several years, LG has made the strategic decision to announce its biggest products ahead of CES.
Bookmark our CES 2024 page for the latest.
But because of the country’s naturally dry and biodiverse climate, it’s particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events that have been exacerbated by climate change.
Australia has experienced its fair share of a climate catastrophes, which has only fueled its climate tech startups into action.
The hype for climate tech in Australia is real, as long as it can be sustained.
Local VCs are most excited about the sector this year, with climate and cleantech dominating in funding and deal count in Q3 2023.
In 2022, climate tech in Australia raised $553 million in capital, compared to $338 million in 2021, according to a report from Climate Salad, a community of Australian climate tech stakeholders.
