Risotto raises $10M seed to use AI to make ticketing systems easier to use

Designed to autonomously resolve help desk tickets, Risotto has raised $10 million in seed funding in a round led by Bonfire Ventures.

Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni’s Phia raises $35M to ‘make shopping fun again’

“We’re on the cusp of a completely new way of shopping,” Gates told TechCrunch.

Uber launches an ‘AV Labs’ division to gather driving data for robotaxi partners

Uber is not developing its own robotaxis again; instead it plans to collect and offer data. It’s a bet that more volume will help autonomous vehicle partners solve the weirdest edge cases.

Qualcomm backs SpotDraft to scale on-device contract AI with valuation doubling toward $400M

SpotDraft now processes over 1 million contracts annually using its AI tool, with contract volumes up 173% year-over-year.

Meta to test premium subscriptions on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp

In the coming months, Meta is going to explore a premium experience on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp that gives users access to special features and more control over how they share and connect, while keeping the core experiences free. 

Rad Power Bikes reaches deal to sell itself for $13.2 million

A company called Life Electric Vehicle Holdings has emerged as the top bidder for Rad Power’s assets. It’s not clear what the company plans to do with them, though.

AI startup CVector raises $5M for its industrial ‘nervous system’

Industrial AI startup CVector built a brain and nervous system for big industry. Now, founders Richard Zhang and Tyler Ruggles are tasked with a bigger challenge: showing customers and investors how this AI-powered software layer translates to real sav…

TikTok alternative Skylight soars to 380K+ users after TikTok U.S. deal finalized

Skylight, a TikTok alternative built on open protocols, has had a busy weekend.

VC firm 2150 raises €210M fund to solve cities’ climate challenges

Europe-based venture fund 2150 raised the money to invest in climate tech startups that help solve cities’ carbon footprint.

How PopWheels helped a food cart ditch generators for e-bike batteries

PopWheels realized its battery swapping network could be used for more than food delivery workers who need to charge their e-bikes. Now, its planning for an “aggressive rollout” this summer.