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Happy Thursday, Crunchers!
A $30 billion deal by First Republic Bank, a group of the country’s largest banks, could save Boko. Christine Reports and on TC+, Random Access Memory SVB breaks down everything you want to hold onto in a crisis.
Meanwhile, Annie And take on Consider the wider implications of SVB being in hot water, saying it will force African start-ups to rethink their banking options.
The National Bank collapse is out of the way…let’s move on to the rest of the tech news!
Don’t forget to wear green tomorrow! – Christine And came
TechCrunch’s Top 3
- No more waiting.: Ivan Bing reports that the waiting list for GPT-4 powered chat is no longer available. Enjoy!
- Bite into the AI appleApple isn’t about to let all those big tech companies in on the AI fun. New story by IvanApple is reportedly testing an AI that generates language so that Siri can better understand questions.
- Charge itParker is taking on the world of corporate cards — and trying to grab a slice of the market from companies like Brakes and Ramp — with a new credit offering tailored to the needs of e-commerce brands. Christine It has more.
Startups and VCs
One of the main challenges for companies drawing on the gig economy is managing payroll and benefits. Motivated to solve Kyle As reported, Wingspan is jumping to the rescue with a payroll platform aimed primarily at freelancers.
Here are six more stories, including a bonus one, because Haje decided to support his own story in this episode. Such a preferred treatment, Tut Tut.
How To Tip Me: 7 Investors Discuss What They’re Looking For In March 2023
Image Credits: Sean Gladwell (Opens in a new window) / Getty Images
It’s too early to tell if the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank heralds a new era for venture capital, but based on anecdotal evidence, off-the-record conversations and discussions with colleagues, it seems we’re back to business as usual when it comes to pre-revenue fundraising.
Before SVB’s collapse, Walter Thompson interviewed seven investors to find out where they were looking to invest, how to approach them, and what general advice they had for first-time founders.
- Brian Backeen, General Partner, Lightship Capital
- Masha Butcher, Founder and General Partner, Day One Ventures
- Rebecca Liu-Doyle, Managing Director, Insight Partners
- Celia Warburg Peters, Managing Partner, Era Ventures
- Nick Adams, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Differential Ventures
- Lisa Lambert, Founder and President, National Grid Partners
- Elizabeth Yin, Co-Founder and General Partner, Hustle Fund
Three more from the TC+ team:
TechCrunch+ Our membership program helps founders and startup teams stay ahead of the pack. You can register here.. Use code “DC” for 15% off annual subscription!
Big Tech Inc.
On the other hand, TrafficTech is making good on its promise to strengthen its offerings, making more acquisitions and has now acquired the trip planning app Citymapper. Rebecca And Ingrid Note that “Citymapper has been rumored for years to be trying to find a buyer” and that big names like Google and Apple have also been interested, but it’s all been quiet until this Via news.
Now let’s move on to Microsoft, which is Microsoft 365 Copilot, a suite of productivity and enterprise apps powered by artificial intelligence. Kyle It has more.
And we have five more for you:
- Go to the main engine stopSometimes you just have to press “pause,” and that’s what Virgin Orbit is doing in search of funding, Devine reports.
- Canceled.Five Russian-linked Internet companies, including Yandex, are being officially delisted from the Nasdaq and NYSE. Paul He wrote.
- Taking a step back: After more than a decade at the helm of Twitch, CEO Emmett Shear is stepping down to move on. Taylor He wrote.
- Dating in the age of apps: Tinder has a whole host of new features, including one that helps users better determine what type of relationship they want. Sarah Reports.
- The SVB crash is affecting everyone, even robots.: Brian He spoke to some founders and investors about how the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank will affect the robotics industry.
