Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Welcome to TechCrunch AM! This morning, we've got details of more new AI agents, drama in the European cloud sector, VC-backed cyberpunk scooters, Snap's new competition, the film adaptation of The Oregon Trail, and more.

Also: The first day of TechCrunch Disrupt was a blast, and we'll go over a few standout bits of coverage below. But if you want to follow everything that happened – from Vinod Khosla calling out Elon Musk for spreading misinformation to a startup that's turning CO2 into liquid fuel – you can check it all out here.

Let's dive in! — Rebecca

TechCrunch Top 3

Image Credits: Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch

1. Venture capital isn't apolitical: We've heard from the a16z crew about their support for Trump, but Khosla Ventures' Vinod Khosla represents the other side of VC: He called Trump's values "depraved," saying "our democracy is definitely on the line." Read More

2. The AI agent battles are on: Salesforce is rolling out Agentforce, a low-code/no-code platform that companies can use to deploy chatbots for employees or customers. Companies like OpenTable, Saks and Wiley are already using it. Read More

3. Stormy weather in the cloud sector: Microsoft has accused Google of launching a "shadow campaign" to influence regulation in the cloud services space in Europe. At the dispute's center is a new lobby group, the Open Cloud Coalition, and Microsoft says Google is pulling the strings. Read More

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Morning Must-Reads

Image Credits: Thibault Camus / AP Photo

🤖 No humans allowed: AI startup Sierra has raised $175 million at a $4.5 billion valuation for its customer service chatbots. The startup, co-founded by OpenAI chairman Bret Taylor, claims its tech is less susceptible to hallucinations. Sure, but they all say that. Read More

🛵 Are scooters back? The Cybertruck style is catching on, and a scooter is the latest victim. Infinite Machine, a NY-based startup, has closed a $9 million seed round by Andreessen Horowitz's American Dynamism project in the run up to launching its $10,000 P1 scooter. Read More

💉 Be gone, Fentanyl! On TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield stage, Mablab presented its testing strip, which detects the five most common and dangerous additives, like fentanyl, in minutes. Get these things to every party, festival, and concert STAT! Read More

💰 African fintech is popping off: Moniepoint just closed $110 million from heavy hitters like Google's Africa Investment Fund and Development Partners International. The round reportedly brings the fintech into unicorn territory. Read More

🚀 To infinity and beyond: Crosscut Ventures has followed its founders from climate software to space hardware. The VC firm's new $100 million fund is focused on the uniting theme of "frontier tech" aimed at solving the world's biggest problems. Read More

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Day 2 of Disrupt 2024! Experience the ultimate tech event!

Disrupt 2024 is set and ready for day 2 at Moscone West! With two final days to go, immerse yourself in networking with 10,000+ tech, startup, and VC leaders. Gain insights from industry heavyweights, join deep-dive sessions, explore innovative startups, witness fast-paced pitches, and attend exclusive after-hour events. Experience the future of tech in an immersive setting—secure your Disrupt ticket.

Around the Web

🏇 You have died of dysentery: Video game adaptations are becoming so popular that Apple is reaching far back in time to turn The Oregon Trail into a big-budget movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Don't expect a drama, though – this is supposedly for the laughs. Read More

🛍️ Shopify is coming for Salesforce: The go-to online store builder for mom-and-pop shops is changing stance to target larger companies, according to Bloomberg. Shopify says it's pulled hundreds of Salesforce clients over, including Mattle, Toys R Us and Casper. Read More

👻 Can Snap stay in the game? The company's CEO Evan Spiegel thinks so. He's battling to prove the company can compete on the augmented reality stage with the likes of Meta, per The Financial Times. The company reports its quarterly results today, so we'll see how that's going. Read More

Before You Go

Image Credits: Netflix

📺 A moment like this: Netflix has a new 'Moments' feature that lets you save and share scenes from episodes, completing that cross-platform engagement cycle and helping meme enthusiasts everywhere. Read More