Y Combinator's Tom Blomfield says investors often pass on startups due to the perceived quality of the founder, rather than the startup's potential. He notes that at the seed stage, the future is uncertain, and investors are primarily judging the founder's quality.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/

Givebutter, a software solution founded in a George Washington University dorm room in 2016, has become profitable. The company raised $50 million to scale, with co-founder and CEO Max Friedman having fundraising experience in college. The startup's momentum is part of a growing trend for nonprofit-focused startups.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/

CleanFiber, a company that converts old cardboard boxes into insulation, faced a funding gap after nine years of development. The company's technology produces high-quality insulation, but scaling up requires more funding, a common challenge for climate startups.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/

California lawmakers are debating bills to regulate the deployment of autonomous vehicles, including robotaxis, in the state. The bills aim to give cities more control over the vehicles, which could set a national standard. Key players include Cruise, Waymo, and Zoox.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/

OpenAI's Sora video generation tool creates realistic videos. Shy Kids, a Toronto-based digital production team, was given early access to create a short film using Sora for OpenAI promotional purposes.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/

Greylock partner Asheem Chandna invested in Rubrik in 2015, impressed by CEO Bipul Sinha's plan to revamp the data management and recovery market. The investment paid off, with Chandna citing the company's compelling architecture as a key factor in his decision.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/

EyeEm, a Berlin-based photo-sharing community, licenses its users' photos to train AI models for Freepik. Users were given 30 days to opt out by removing their content. The move follows EyeEm's exit from bankruptcy and acquisition by Freepik.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/

TikTok is testing a Twitter-like feature in certain markets and launched a luxury secondhand shop in the UK. The company faces friction in the US, but details on the challenges were not disclosed.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/

IBM announced its intention to acquire HashiCorp for $6.4 billion. The deal's success will depend on both strategic and financial factors. The acquisition's outcome will be determined by the companies' ability to integrate their operations and achieve financial goals.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/

Source: https://techcrunch.com/