TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/ Startup and Technology News Thu, 15 Jan 2026 20:07:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 AI video startup, Higgsfield, founded by ex-Snap exec, lands $1.3B valuation https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/ai-video-startup-higgsfield-founded-by-ex-snap-exec-lands-1-3b-valuation/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:28:45 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3083094 Iran’s internet shutdown is now one of its longest ever, as protests continue https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/irans-internet-shutdown-is-now-one-of-its-longest-ever-as-protests-continue/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 18:47:52 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3083123 The US imposes 25% tariff on Nvidia’s H200 AI chips headed to China https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/the-us-imposes-25-tariff-on-nvidias-h200-ai-chips-headed-to-china/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:56:20 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3083095 OpenAI invests in Sam Altman’s brain computer interface startup Merge Labs https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/openai-invests-in-sam-altmans-brain-computer-interface-startup-merge-labs/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:31:00 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3083089 Wikimedia Foundation announces new AI partnerships with Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Perplexity, and others https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/wikimedia-foundation-announces-new-ai-partnerships-with-amazon-meta-microsoft-perplexity-and-others/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:19:05 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3083062 How one startup is using prebiotics to try and ease the copper shortage https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/how-one-startup-is-using-prebiotics-to-try-and-ease-the-copper-shortage/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082927 US senators demand answers from X, Meta, Alphabet, and others on sexualized deepfakes https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/us-senators-demand-answers-from-x-meta-alphabet-on-sexualized-deepfakes/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3083010 Spotify raises its subscription prices in the US again https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/spotify-raises-its-subscription-prices-in-the-u-s-again/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:32:12 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3083038 Parloa triples its valuation in 8 months to $3B with $350M raise https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/parloa-triples-its-valuation-in-8-months-to-3b-with-350m-raise/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:24:46 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3083021 Tiger Global loses India tax case tied to Walmart-Flipkart deal in blow to offshore playbook https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/tiger-global-loses-india-tax-case-tied-to-walmart-flipkart-deal-in-blow-to-offshore-playbook/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:19:44 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3083028 After Italy, WhatsApp excludes Brazil from rival chatbot ban https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/after-italy-whatsapp-excludes-brazil-from-rival-chatbot-ban/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:23:07 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082985 Indian SpaceX rival EtherealX hits 5x valuation as it readies engine tests https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/etherealx-jumps-5-5x-in-valuation-on-spacex-style-reuse-bet-from-india/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082863 Microsoft taps India’s Varaha for durable carbon removal offtake https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/microsoft-taps-indias-varaha-for-asia-first-durable-carbon-removal-offtake/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:30:00 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082552 Mira Murati’s startup, Thinking Machines Lab, is losing two of its co-founders to OpenAI https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/14/mira-muratis-startup-thinking-machines-lab-is-losing-two-of-its-co-founders-to-openai/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 02:16:37 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082941 The FTC’s data-sharing order against GM is finally settled https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/14/the-ftcs-data-sharing-order-against-gm-is-finally-settled/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:27:54 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082822 India’s Emversity doubles valuation as it scales workers AI can’t replace https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/14/indias-emversity-doubles-valuation-as-it-scales-workers-ai-cant-replace/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:04:46 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082634 Musk denies awareness of Grok sexual underage images as California AG launches probe https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/14/musk-denies-awareness-of-grok-sexual-underage-images-as-california-ag-launches-probe/ Wed, 14 Jan 2026 22:42:51 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082852 OpenAI signs deal, worth $10B, for compute from Cerebras https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/14/openai-signs-deal-reportedly-worth-10-billion-for-compute-from-cerebras/ Wed, 14 Jan 2026 22:25:32 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082833 Netflix’s first original video podcasts feature Pete Davidson and Michael Irvin https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/14/netflixs-first-original-video-podcasts-feature-pete-davidson-and-michael-irvin/ Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:57:40 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082820 App downloads declined again in 2025, but consumer spending soared to nearly $156B https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/14/app-downloads-declined-again-in-2025-but-consumer-spending-soared-to-nearly-156b/ Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:05:28 +0000 https://techcrunch.com/?p=3082733