A Twitter hack hits the platform’s most famous users, Netflix gets a co-CEO and Revel’s mopeds are coming to San Francisco. Here’s your Daily Crunch for July 16, 2020. The big story: High-profile Twitter accounts hacked in crypto scam This was a crazy one: The Twitter accounts of Apple, Elon Musk, Joe Biden and many, […]
Today after the bell, Netflix reported its Q2 financial performance. After its second-quarter numbers were out, the popular video streaming service saw its value drop sharply, with its shares off 10% in after-hours trading as of the time of writing. What happened to the high-flying Netflix, a company that you might have expected to report […]
Meditation apps have been a nice tech-centric respite for many, as the world continues to fall apart at the seams. HBO Max is hoping to build on that success with the launch of a new show based on the wildly popular Calm app. It is, thankfully, neither drama nor workplace comedy (HBO’s already done the […]
What happens when startups look to build on the trendiness of podcasting and social audio platforms while injecting them with some of virtual reality’s weirdness? Turns out, plenty of founders are already experimenting with that strange question. As audio-centric platforms garner investor interest, virtual reality founders of old are trying to push 3D audio as […]
Ted Sarandos, the longtime leader of Netflix’s content efforts, has been named co-CEO with co-founder and current CEO Reed Hastings. Sarandos will continue to serve as the company’s chief content officer, and he’s joining the board of directors as well. Meanwhile, Chief Product Officer Greg Peters is taking on the additional role of chief operating […]
CRV, the early-stage venture firm that is this year celebrating its 50th anniversary, has just closed its newest fund with $600 million in capital commitments. The firm asserts that it garnered the pledges entirely during the pandemic, saying it kicked off its fundraising efforts in April. Just as notably, says general partner Jon Auerbach — […]
Can one minute really make a difference in your startup success? If we’re talking about your 60-second pitch (and we are), then heck yeah! A crisp, concise and compelling pitch opens doors to opportunity, and we’re here to help you pump up your pitch. Join us online for the next Pitchers & Pitches competition on […]
The U.S. App Store’s downloads have surpassed China’s downloads for the first time since 2014. According to data from Sensor Tower’s Q2 2020 report, out today, the U.S. App Store saw 27.4% year-over-year growth in the quarter, compared to the 2.1% growth for the China App Store. During the quarter, the U.S. App Store generated […]
Twitter has said that there is “no evidence” that attackers obtained user account passwords after its security breach on Wednesday, which forced the company to lock down user accounts to prevent verified users from tweeting. In a series of tweets on Thursday — almost exactly a day after the mass account hijacking started — the […]
The Trump campaign’s unlikely digital marketing whiz is on the outs. Brad Parscale made headlines for his social media savvy in 2016, a strategy still credited for giving the then-candidate a major boost by flooding social platforms, most notably Facebook, with targeted advertising. Parscale was named the Trump campaign’s digital director in 2016 and in […]
After a few setbacks exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 situation, another small rocket launcher is readying to demonstrate their ability to launch a vehicle to space. Astra has just completed a second static test fire of its Rocket 3.1 orbital launch vehicle, and that means it’s now ready for a trip to Alaska, where it’ll […]
Why are certain VCs loved by founders and others loathed? It’s a question that is key not just to founders seeking capital, but also VCs who are looking to burnish their reputations and build the track record that will get them into the next hot deal. For businesses with actual customers, it’s common to assess […]
Brolly, the U.K. digital insurance app, has been acquired by incumbent Direct Line Group. The terms of the acquisition aren’t being disclosed, while the transaction is expected to formally close during the third quarter of 2020. Originally founded by former Aviva underwriter and product manager Phoebe Hugh and former Skype and Microsoft engineering manager Mykhailo […]
When Salesforce launched Force.com in 2007, it was the culmination of years of work to bring together a way to customize Salesforce and eventually to build applications on top of the platform. By using a set of Salesforce services, companies could take advantage of work that SFDC had already done, speeding up building time and […]
As part of its effort to steel its platform against threats to the 2020 election, Facebook will try surfacing accurate voting info in a new place — on politicians’ own posts. Starting today, Facebook posts by federal elected officials and candidates — including presidential candidates — will be accompanied by an info label prompting anyone […]
By leveraging strategic creative assets on the platform now, brands and advertisers have the opportunity to join a rising social media platform and make a lasting impression on new consumers.
We know that the coronavirus has brought unprecedented attention to the edtech market, but now what? What happens when schools are no longer clambering toward an overnight solution? When the surges slow? When our world reopens and there doesn’t need to be a full-suite of at-home solutions for kids and parents? As the next wave […]
Third-party sellers are the dominant driver of sales on Amazon’s marketplace, accounting for 58% of its total (and growing). We know that the pandemic, ironically, has been good for Amazon, which has reported net sales in Q1 up by 26% year-over-year, given that much of the world has reverted to ordering online. However, the payment […]
The potential for the Internet of Things to lead to distortion in market competition is troubling European Union lawmakers who have today kicked off a sectoral inquiry. They’re aiming to gather data from hundreds of companies operating in the smart home and connected device space — via some 400 questionnaires, sent to companies big and […]
Google’s latest experiment is a video shopping platform designed to introduce consumers to new products in under 90 seconds. The company today is launching Shoploop, a project from Google’s internal R&D division, Area 120, where it tests out new ideas with a public user base. Shoploop’s founder, Lax Poojary, had previously worked on online trip […]
