The rise of ‘carefluencers’ | Newsletter

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Quick Hits

No Copilot: Congress bans Microsoft AI.

Minimum raise: Cali serves up $20/hr.

Driver perks: DoorDash pads PA benefits.

‘Real instruments’: Beyoncé bucks AI.

No joke: Comedian settles AI podcast suit.

More clones: OpenAI unveils voice engine.

AI vs. guns: NYC deploys subway scanners.

Privacy purge: Google deletes records.

Tempting Tesla: India eyes $3B EV plant.

Japan-bound: OpenAI opens Tokyo office.

Loop launch: Europe debuts hyperloop track.

Digital diagnosis: App detects early dementia.

Tiny travelers: NASA selects CubeSat missions.

Language leap: Zoom beefs up translation.

Data duet: Microsoft, OpenAI plan $100B center.

AI ambition: Amazon invests $2.75B in Anthropic.

Cellular crisis: AT&T reports massive leak.

Trending Startups

The rise of ‘carefluencers’

On TikTok and Instagram, people are sharing what it’s like to take care of relatives who have reached their final years.

NYPD shoots GPS darts at fleeing cars

To combat rising car thefts, NYPD is using $45k GPS dart launchers created by Virginia-based startup StarChase to track stolen vehicles—though recovering them remains a challenge.

Flying taxi startup lifts Ohio city's fortunes

Joby Aviation, an eVTOL startup, plans a $500M facility near Dayton, Ohio, aiming to employ 2k and revitalize the former industrial hub.

Can AI have EQ?

NYC-based Hume AI raised $50M to develop its Empathic Voice Interface, an AI that detects 53 human emotions, setting a new bar for human-like interaction.

Startup pivots from ‘smart’ mugs to meds

Los Angeles-based smart mug maker Ember got started with crowdfunding to keep coffee hot and pivoted to the more lucrative field of medical transport using its coffee tech.

Recently Funded

• India’s Woodsmen Mountain Whiskey Raises $1.5M Series A

• SydeLabs Raises $2.5M Seed for Intent-Based AI Firewall

• Lil Snack Raises $3.1M for Games Built by Devs with AI Tools

• India’s Bambrew Bags $7.2M for Sustainable Packaging

• Berlin-based Midas Raises $8.75M for Asset Tokenization Protocol

• India’s MyShell Raises $11M in for Decentralized AI Consumer Layer

• U.K.’s Build on Bitcoin Raises $10M for Hybrid Layer-2

• Spain’s Elixir Games Raises $14M for Web3 Gaming Distribution

• NewRetirement Raises $20M for Financial Planning

• Firestorm Labs Raises $12.5M from by Lockheed Martin Ventures and Defense VCs

Weekly Pulse

What We’re Reading

Business Schools Are Going All In on AI (WSJ)

Amazon's AI Stores Seemed Too Magical. And They Were. (Bloomberg)

Indian GenAI Startups Need To Solve Niche Problems To Secure Big Cheques, Say VCs (Inc42)

DeepMind Co-Founder Warns of AI Hype and Grifting (Inc.)

Poll of the Week

Post of the Week

Podcasts of the Week

How to Reimagine the Entrepreneur's Playbook with Melissa Bernstein of Lifelines (For Starters)

Startups Hiring Now

UpKeep: Innovative SaaS & IoT solutions for maintenance and facility managers | 29 open roles

Sentry: Sentry provides self-hosted or cloud-based monitoring helping teams prioritize errors | 14 open roles

Codeium: AI tools for developers | 9 open roles

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