Adam Joseph secured a seven-figure investment from Mark Cuban for his AI PR agency, Clipbook, entirely through email. He shared the exchange with Business Insider, revealing Cuban’s direct vetting style. The deal moved “more aggressively and faster” than Joseph expected.
According to TechCrunch, the anonymous social app Fizz has become the dominant platform on US college campuses. CEO Teddy Solomon argues that traditional social media has stopped being truly social.
Fusion power is moving from sci-fi to reality, fueled by billions in private investment. Startups like Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Helion are racing to build the first commercially viable reactors, but the path is expensive and fraught with challenges.
New data shows venture capital funds are returning far less cash to their investors. IPO performance has been mixed, with stocks often falling after their first-day pop.
Applied Digital shares are up on news it will spin off its cloud business. Meanwhile, Meta Platforms made a quiet AI acquisition, and Boeing got a major defense contract. Here’s what’s moving the market before the bell.
Meta has acquired the AI agent startup Manus. The company will continue to operate the Manus service, and its team will join Meta to build agents for products like Meta AI. Founder Aaron Yang called the deal a validation of their ambitious vision for general AI agents.
SoftBank is making a massive $4 billion move to own the physical infrastructure behind AI. The deal to acquire DigitalBridge is all about controlling data centers, connectivity, and power. It’s a high-stakes bet on the future of compute.
Venture capitalists are warning that the AI investment boom is about to meet reality. According to a survey, 2026 will be the year enterprises demand real returns, putting overhyped startups at risk.
The battlefield for cybersecurity has shifted decisively to artificial intelligence. According to TechCrunch’s latest Startup Battlefield, the top contenders are all using AI to fight AI, from automated penetration testing to real-time deepfake detection.
In a major move to boost its tech independence, China has launched three new state-backed venture capital funds. Each fund is capitalized at over 50 billion yuan ($7.14 billion), targeting “hard technology” like semiconductors over internet services.
