Meta expands subscription push with new AI-focused plans

Source: Tech Crunch

Meta expands subscription push with new AI-focused plans

Startups

Meta introduced Meta One, a new subscription service offering expanded AI usage and premium features across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The plans provide AI tools for image and video creation/editing, targeting both individual users and businesses. This initiative aims to monetize Meta's significant AI investments. Following successful earlier subscription.

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Former Waymo CFO jumps to self-driving startup Wayve

Startups

Elisa de Martel, former CFO at Alphabet's Waymo, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer at self-driving startup Wayve. Her hiring coincides with Wayve's critical transition from development to deploying its automated driving technology for robotaxis and passenger vehicles. De Martel brings extensive tech finance experience, crucial as Wayve, valued at $8.5 billion,.

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With UPI MDR Clarity, PhonePe Eyes IPO By March 2027

Business

Walmart-backed PhonePe is reviving its IPO plans, targeting a public listing between February-March 2027, seeking a $10 billion valuation. This follows the new UPI Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework, which offers clarity on monetizing its core payments business after years of zero MDR. The framework applies a 0.4% MDR on merchant payments above ₹2,000, while most transactions remain free. PhonePe's CEO welcomed the change for ecosystem reinvestment.

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All you need to know about MDR and why it matters

Startups

What does MDR mean? Should you be worried as a consumer? What impact does this have on merchants? All FAQs answered. The introduction of a 0.4% merchant discount rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 has stirred the hornet’s nest, sparking fierce debates in the fintech industry and the e.

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VerifAIX Bags $5 Mn To Scale AI-Based Chip Verification Platform

Business

AI-native semiconductor verification startup VerifAIX has raised $5 million in seed funding, co-led by Endiya Partners and Bluehill VC. The capital will advance its verification technology, expand customer deployments, and grow engineering teams across the US, India, and Israel. VerifAIX addresses the critical need to independently verify AI-generated chip designs, ensuring they meet original specifications by combining AI-based reasoning with rigorous formal verification through its "Formal Brain" platform.

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Health benefits platform Thatch reaches $1B valuation as healthcare costs surge

Startups

Thatch, a healthcare platform, has raised $108 million at a $1 billion valuation from investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Index Ventures. The company utilizes Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs) to help employers manage rising costs by providing employees with fixed budgets to select personalized insurance plans. By leveraging AI for recommendations, Thatch offers a flexible alternative to traditional company-wide health plans, enhancing worker choice and efficiency.

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OpenAI, Anthropic, Google have been in talks on AI safety for weeks

Startups

OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind have been collaborating for several weeks to address catastrophic AI risks, according to OpenAI's global policy chief Chris Lehane. This effort follows a call from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to slow frontier AI development. While industry leaders support safety standards and independent verification, some warn of potential antitrust violations. Meanwhile, President Trump has dismissed these safety concerns as a hoax.

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Wonder scores a $425 million partnership with DoorDash as it builds its food empire

Startups

"DoorDash is investing $425 million in Marc Lore's food tech company, Wonder. The deal includes a $300 million acquisition of Wonder’s Grubhub Campus Dining business and a $125 million contribution to Wonder’s Series D funding round. DoorDash aims to expand campus dining to hotels and stadiums, while Wonder focuses on building an autonomous food system. Wonder currently operates 157 locations and plans to expand into Texas by 2027.".

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Discover how to take your startup from prototype to production at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Startups

Learn how to scale your startup breakthrough from prototype to production at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 with scaling leaders, Adrian Macneil (Foxglove), John Mackey (MBRYONICS), and Boris Sofman (Bedrock Robotics. Register before September 25 to save up to $200 on your pass.

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SEBI Greenlights Lending Tech Startup Fibe’s ₹750 Cr+ IPO

Business

SEBI has cleared the IPO proposal for Fibe parent Social Worth Technologies, paving the way for the lending tech startup's public listing. The IPO includes a fresh issue of shares worth up to ₹750 Cr and an offer-for-sale of over 4 Cr shares. Fibe plans to invest ₹562.6 Cr in its NBFC arm. This approval.

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AI content startup Flam raises $40M from QED Investors, Shah Rukh Khan, and others

Startups

The Bengaluru- and San Francisco-based tech startup, which delivers AI-powered interactive content, was founded by BITS Pilani alumni Shourya Agarwal, Malhar Patil and Amit Gaiki. It plans to use the funding on R&D, expanding its product portfolio, and scaling enterprise sales.

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Flam Bags $40 Mn To Offer Immersive Content To Enterprises

Business

Flam, an AI-powered content platform, has raised $40 Mn in Series B funding led by QED Investors, with participation from Shah Rukh Khan's family office and other investors. The capital will be used to ramp up R&D in AI models, expand its product suite, and accelerate enterprise sales in existing and new markets. This funding round occurs as mixed reality gains traction,.

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Kids’ Nutrition Brands Face A Familiar Struggle

Business

Indian D2C brands are transforming the kids' food market by enhancing familiar foods with better nutrition to appeal to both children and health-conscious parents. While many urban parents are willing to pay a premium, brands face challenges including high ingredient costs, manufacturing hurdles, and regulatory scrutiny from the FSSAI over misleading claims. Long-term success depends on balancing taste with proven nutritional benefits to ensure repeat purchases.

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Apple’s Siri AI Gambit, Moneyview Trims IPO Size & More

Business

Apple launched Siri AI with iOS 27, though advanced features are limited to premium devices with potential future subscription fees. Meanwhile, Moneyview halved its IPO size, and InsuranceDekho faces leadership changes. Lenskart expanded its stake in AjnaLens for smart glasses, while the RBI proposed new cyber safety protocols. Additionally, Google selected four Indian startups for its AI accelerator, and Saubha Aerial Systems developed drone parachute recovery systems.

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Jensen Huang took a call from Trump, and showed off something else, too

Startups

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang received a live call from President Trump on stage at the All-In conference, answering on a foldable phone. Their discussion focused on AI safety, with both seemingly agreeing that mounting fears about AI constitute a "hoax." Trump asserted AI is "bigger than the internet" and shouldn't be slowed, claiming panic benefits China and "political people." Huang's apparent agreement might align with Nvidia's.

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Only at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: What happens when OpenAI ships your roadmap?

Startups

If you're building an AI company, the question isn't whether foundation models will continue to evolve. It's whether your company will continue creating value as they do. The greatest risk isn't building a weak product — it's building a strong one that eventually becomes someone else's feature. You don’t want to miss this interactive session on the Builders Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Register before Sept 25 to save up to $200.

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Hear how AI can engineer nature’s comeback at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Startups

Not long ago, bringing an extinct species back to life belonged to science fiction. Today, it’s the mission of a billion-dollar startup. Advances in artificial intelligence, genetics, and computational biology are changing what’s possible in conservation research, raising questions that extend far beyond the laboratory. If technology can help revive extinct species, should it? And […].

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5 days left to exhibit at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Startups

The last day to apply for an exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 on Sept 18. Just 5 days left. Secure your spot on the Expo Hall floor and put your business in front of 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders.

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Personal loan for home renovation: Costs and benefits

Startups

Personal loans for home renovation offer flexible, collateral-free funding for various upgrades and repairs without end-use restrictions. Key benefits include quick disbursal, customizable repayment tenures, and fixed EMIs. Borrowers should be aware of associated costs such as processing fees, GST, interest, and potential.

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The snake that cannot shed its skin must perish and fade

Startups

The article emphasizes that personal growth, like a snake shedding its skin, demands embracing change. Clinging to outdated beliefs, unhealthy habits, or past identities restricts development and threatens progress. While transformation can be uncomfortable, it's essential to avoid stagnation and unlock potential. Letting go of the familiar allows individuals to adapt, learn, and evolve, leading to stronger, wiser versions of themselves and enabling true fulfillment.

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