Google’s new AI for students; How a care crisis sparked EzyHelpers

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Google’s new AI for students; How a care crisis sparked EzyHelpers

Startups

China and India are integrating AI into traffic policing, while a British test highlights the risks of AI autonomy. Binance launched Agent OS for automated trading, and Google introduced AI study tools for students. In business, Walmart reported revenue growth, while Alibaba's profits fell due to AI investments. Additionally, Uber launched autonomous rides in Zagreb, and EzyHelpers expanded its domestic worker training and placement services in Bengaluru.

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Microdrama’s Big Problem, The Data Centre Security Bill & More

Business

India's business landscape is evolving with the rise of localized microdramas and the growth of babycare quick commerce through Peeko's $7 million funding. Upstox is preparing for a ₹3,800 crore IPO, while Minimalist returns to profitability. Meanwhile, HUL faces a legal dispute with Beco, and LongStraw Carbon tackles pollution via biochar. Additionally, data center security concerns grow as critical digital infrastructure expands across the country.

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Technosport CTO on why scaling a business is rarely a server problem

Startups

At DevSparks Hyderabad 2026, Technosport CTO Achal Sharma discussed aligning technology with business goals in his talk, "Beyond Code: Building Technology That Scales Businesses." Sharma argued that scaling requires identifying real bottlenecks beyond server capacity, such as inventory and customer experience. He highlighted Technosport's use of AI for demand forecasting and its transition to an in-house website to support a revenue target exceeding Rs 1,000 crore.

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Financial planning for founders: Preparing for growth, uncertainity and exit

Startups

Founders often blur personal and business finances, risking their stability on a single outcome. To mitigate this, entrepreneurs should build profitable businesses while maintaining a diversified "Plan B" through systematic investments. Key strategies include paying a market-linked salary, keeping a substantial emergency reserve, and planning for taxes early. Diversifying equity through partial liquidity and post-exit asset allocation ensures long-term financial security regardless of the company's ultimate fate.

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How Red Balloon Aerospace is building India’s near-space infrastructure

Startups

Red Balloon Aerospace, a Mangalagiri-based startup co-founded by CVS Kiran, is developing near-space infrastructure to bridge the gap between aviation and satellites. The company utilizes platforms like HELIX, VISTA, and ALTIS for communications, disaster response, and earth observation. With the launch of VISTA, India joins a small group of nations with indigenous hydrogen-powered stratospheric balloon capabilities, offering B2B and B2G services via a rideshare model.

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Tesla, Uber, and Waymo all get the OK to operate thousands of robotaxis in Nevada

Startups

"The Nevada Transportation Authority has approved permits for Tesla, Uber, and Waymo to launch commercial robotaxi services in Clark County. Up to 8,000 autonomous vehicles could be deployed over the next year, though companies may not reach these maximums. While proponents anticipate new maintenance jobs, taxi operators warn of industry oversaturation and road congestion. Uber is promoting a hybrid model combining human drivers with autonomous vehicles.".

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AI data startup Micro1 reaches $500M gross run rate amid AI training boom

Startups

Data-labeling startup Micro1 is experiencing rapid growth, with its gross annual run rate increasing from $100 million to $500 million in eight months. Driven by high demand for AI training data, the company utilizes domain experts and synthetic data to support top labs. While competitors like Mercor lead in revenue, Micro1 focuses on ethical sourcing, explicitly avoiding sales to Chinese developers to maintain American AI dominance.

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Learn what VCs actually want, from a founder who’s raised $1B

Startups

In a Build Mode episode, Sasha Orloff, CEO of Puzzle, discusses fundraising insights from raising over $1 billion across multiple companies. He emphasizes that investors prioritize founders who deeply understand their financial reality, including metrics like revenue growth and runway. Orloff warns that poor data organization and delayed fundraising can diminish leverage, urging founders to maintain a ready data room and be honest about their business challenges.

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OpenAI is gaining on Anthropic with business users, new data indicates

Startups

"Data from Ramp reveals that Anthropic surpassed OpenAI in market share among its 70,000 US business customers, holding nearly 44% compared to OpenAI's 40% in July. However, OpenAI has shown faster growth in the third quarter. While the overall percentage of companies paying for AI is increasing, the shifting preferences highlight volatility in enterprise AI spending as businesses switch between providers based on new model releases.".

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ChatGPT can now send texts for you with new Apple Messages plugin

Startups

OpenAI has launched an Apple Messages plugin for ChatGPT, enabling users to sort, analyze, and edit conversations. The tool, compatible with Codex and ChatGPT Work, allows users to draft messages, search history, and suggest follow-ups. While OpenAI claims the plugin runs locally to protect privacy, some concerns remain. The company advises users to review all AI-generated messages before sending to ensure accuracy and maintain control.

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The Enhanced Games — tech’s steroid extravaganza — didn’t pay off, as company posts $60 million loss

Startups

The Enhanced Games, a sports competition allowing performance-enhancing drugs, proved to be both a competitive and commercial failure. Organized by the telehealth firm Enhanced Group, the event resulted in a nearly $62 million net loss for the second quarter. While the company considers pivoting to a lower-cost online series, the broader peptide and biohacking industry continues to grow amid shifting government regulations and Silicon Valley interest.

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Ok, can we actually cool data centers with our pee?

Startups

Liquid Death and Jason Kelce released a satirical commercial suggesting using urine to cool AI data centers. While the ad is a joke, experts note that recycled wastewater, which includes treated urine, is already used to reduce the demand for potable water in data centers. However, scaling this requires significant infrastructure investment. Companies like Meta are funding projects to improve wastewater treatment to mitigate AI's environmental footprint.

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Someone targeted security researchers using a fake crypto conference as a lure

Startups

"A hacker posing as a crypto news representative targeted cybersecurity professionals during the Black Hat and Def Con conferences via X. The attacker used legitimate Google Docs and App Script to create fake encrypted sidebars, tricking targets into installing malware for macOS and Windows. Security firm Huntress uncovered the campaign, which attempted to deploy infostealers and fake cryptocurrency wallet installers through deceptive decryption key prompts.".

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Mark buys a castle

Startups

Mark Zuckerberg has purchased the 19th-century Strancally Castle and its 440-acre estate in Waterford, Ireland, for an estimated $23 million to $35 million. The historic property features over 11 bedrooms and several tower suites, located roughly two hours from Meta's international headquarters in Dublin. This acquisition follows Zuckerberg's recent $170 million home purchase in Miami, reflecting a broader trend of tech billionaires relocating from California.

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Google gives publishers a new way to fight AI-driven traffic losses

Startups

Google is introducing a "Preferred Sources" button that publishers can embed on their websites, allowing users to mark them as favorites. This feature aims to boost visibility in Google Search, Discover, and Google News, offsetting traffic losses caused by AI-powered search. Additionally, Google is enabling natural language customization for Discover feeds and personalized audio briefings in the Google News app to improve user-controlled content recommendations.

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Runlayer, Rippling drop lawsuits. But the brouhaha is still a cautionary tale for founders.

Startups

Runlayer and Rippling have dropped their mutual lawsuits without a settlement or financial exchange. The legal battle began when Runlayer accused Rippling of cloning its MCP gateway after a year of product testing. Rippling responded with a patent infringement countersuit. Following the dismissal, Rippling immediately launched its own MCP gateway, entering the AI security market to compete with Runlayer and other major industry players.

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Castelion hits $13B valuation to mass-produce hypersonic missiles

Startups

Castelion, a missile startup founded by former SpaceX executives, has raised $1 billion in Series C funding at a $13 billion valuation. Co-led by Andreessen Horowitz, Carlyle, and JP Morgan Chase, the capital will support the production of Blackbeard hypersonic missiles in New Mexico. With over $500 million in military contracts, the company aims to help the U.S. close its hypersonic weapon gap with China.

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Linkdaze’s smart calendar is built to run a household, not just track a schedule

Startups

Linkdaze has launched a smart digital calendar designed for household organization, available in 10.1-inch and 15.6-inch models. The device synchronizes multiple calendar services, including Google and iCloud, using color-coding for clarity. Key features include a digital photo frame and an AI-powered meal planner with "Snap-to-Sync" technology. Unlike competitors, Linkdaze offers its main features without a monthly subscription, starting at $119.99 for the smaller model.

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Grok keeps sending gibberish responses to users

Startups

xAI’s Grok chatbot recently experienced a glitch causing it to output gibberish to some users, particularly those using Grok Lite on Grok.com. While the Grok account on X acknowledged the "word salad" as a rare temporary generation error, some users found that refreshing sessions did not resolve the issue. This incident follows reports of significant staff turnover at xAI, including the loss of many founding researchers.

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The investor’s guide to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: Everything you need to know

Startups

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 takes place October 13-15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, focusing on building enduring companies in the AI era. The event offers investors access to the vetted Startup Battlefield 200, curated 1:1 meetings, and the Deal Flow Café. With various specialized stages and networking opportunities with top operators, the conference provides critical deal flow and market intelligence for angel, seed, and growth-stage investors.

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