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Speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Applications now open
TechCrunch Disruptreturns October 27-29 to Moscone West in San Francisco — and we’re inviting thought leaders, founders, VCs, and tech experts to apply for a chance to take the stage at one of the most anticipated tech events of the year. Applications are now open to speak atDisrupt 2025, where over 10,000+ tech leaders, investors, and startup experts come together to shape the future of innovation. The application deadline is May 16 —Apply hereand don’t miss your chance to lead the conversation. Pick your session format We’re looking for high-impact speakers to lead one of two session types: Breakout Sessions— A 30-minute talk (up to four speakers, including a moderator) with a 20-minute audience Q&A. Capacity: 100 attendees. Roundtables— A 30-minute speaker-led group discussion, designed for up to 40 participants. No slides or AV — just insight and conversation. How the application process works Each application will be carefully reviewed by our editorial team. Finalists will be selected for the Audience Choice vote — where TechCrunch readers choose which sessions make it to the Disrupt stage. Learn more about speaking onDisrupt’s Call for Content page. Lead the conversation at Disrupt 2025 If you have actionable insights, real-world experience, and a desire to contribute meaningfully to the tech ecosystem — we want to hear from you. Submit your application today before the May 16 deadline.
Founders, your moment is now: Apply for TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200
Founders, the battlefield is open. And the bold are stepping forward.Startup Battlefield 200atTechCrunch Disrupt 2025is now accepting startups to compete in the ultimate pitch showdown in front of more than 10,000 tech leaders from around the globe to witness. This is no ordinary pitch. This is the fight for visibility, capital, and legacy. If your startup has the fire, now is the time to step into the spotlight. Take your place in the battlefield —apply now. Enter the arena: Submit your application Thousands will apply. 200 will be chosen. 20 will pitch onstage.Only onewill claim the crown and win a $100,000 equity-free prize. You want to rise above the noise? Move fast.Apply early. Free 3-day exhibit space at Disrupt4 complimentary ticketsPlacement in the Disrupt appPress list accessQuality leadsAccess to investor-led masterclassesA shot to pitch on the biggest global stage in techAnd more —get the details here. Free 3-day exhibit space at Disrupt 4 complimentary tickets Placement in the Disrupt app Press list access Quality leads Access to investor-led masterclasses A shot to pitch on the biggest global stage in tech And more —get the details here. This is the launchpad for legends: Trello, Mint, Getaround, Dropbox, Discord, andthousands more—They began their battles here. What it takes to join the battle We’re scoutingpre-Series A startupswith MVPs and massive potential. Bootstrapped or backed, if your startup is bold, you’re in the fight. Some capital-intensive Series A companies may also qualify. Make your first move Gear up for the startup battle of the year. Applications close June 9. Step up. Stand out.Apply today.
Why OpenAI wanted to buy Cursor but opted for the fast-growing Windsurf
Anysphere, maker of AI coding assistant Cursor, is growing so quickly that it’s not in the market to be sold, even to OpenAI, a source close to the company tells TechCrunch. It’s been a hot target. Cursor is one of the most popular AI-powered coding tools, and its revenue has been growing astronomically — doubling on average every two months, according to another source. Anysphere’s current average annual recurring revenue is about $300 million, according to the two sources. The company previously walked away from early acquisition discussions with OpenAI, after the ChatGPT maker approached Cursor, the two sources close to the company confirmed, andCNBC previously reported. Anysphere has also received other acquisition offers that the company didn’t consider, according to one of these sources. Cursor turned down the offers because the startup wants to stay independent, said the two people close to the company. Instead, Anysphere has been in talks to raise capital atabout a $10 billion valuation, Bloomberg reported last month. Although it didn’t nab Anysphere, OpenAI didn’t give up on buying an established AI coding tool startup. OpenAI talked with more than 20 others, CNBC reported. And then it got serious over the next-fastest-growing AI coding startup, Windsurf, with a$3 billion acquisition offer, Bloomberg reported last week. While Windsurf is a comparatively smaller company, its ARR is about $100 million, up from$40 million in ARRin February, according to a source. Windsurf has been gaining popularity with the developer community, too, and its coding product is designed to work with legacy enterprise systems. Windsurf did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment. OpenAI declined to comment on its acquisition talks. OpenAI is likely shopping because it’s looking for its next growth areas as competitors such as Google’s Gemini and China’s DeepSeek put pricing pressure on access to foundational models. Moreover,AnthropicandGoogle have recently released AI modelsthat outperform OpenAI’s models on coding benchmarks, increasingly making them a preferred choice for developers. While OpenAI could build its own AI coding assistant, buying a product that is already popular with developers means the ChatGPT-maker wouldn’t have to start from scratch to build this business. VCs who invest in developer tool startups are certainly watching. Speculating about OpenAI’s strategy, Chris Farmer, partner and CEO at SignalFire, told TechCrunch of the company, “They’ll be acquisitive at the app layer. It’s existential for them.”
Khloe Kardashian launches consumer brand backed by Serena Ventures, WME
Khloe Kardashian has formally launched her new food company, Khloud, and its first product, a protein popcorn,set to hit Target starting April 29. Back in December, TechCrunchreported that Kardashianand her mother, Kris Jenner, were looking to raise at least $10 million for a business called Khloud. Jessica Bixby, an associate partner at K5 Global, which invested in the brand, said that it went on to raise an “oversubscribed $12 million round.” Other investors include Serena Ventures, William Morris Endeavor (WME), and Shrug Capital.Khloud says its popcorn is crafted from whole-grain corn and that its “Khoud Dust,” a milk protein and seasoning blend sprinkled on it, gives each serving seven grams of protein. In addition to Target, the product will be soldon its website. “We’re starting with popcorn, but that’s just the beginning,” Kardashian told TechCrunch. “We plan to expand into other snacking categories across the store, there’s so much room to reimagine everyday snacks.” Kardashian says the mission of her snack brand is to offer more nutritious alternatives made from “clean” ingredients. The Kardashian-Jenners are known for their ever-growing and ever-encompassing consumer business empire. This, however, marks the first time a member of the family has forayed into the snack business. It somewhat makes sense — numerous articles have been written about their favorite foods (includinga dedicated Instagram page), and anywhere there is widespread potential consumer interest, there is a widespread chance for celebrities to make money. Celebs have pumped outnumerous hair care lines, liquor lines, and beauty products. The Kardashians have been there (and are still doing that). Now, their empire spreadsfrom household cleaning productsto the food in our pantries.
Adaptive Computer wants to reinvent the PC with ‘vibe’ coding for non-programmers
Dennis Xu is a repeat tech startup founder, but he’s the first to admit he’s not a programmer. After co-founding AI note-taking app Mem —one of OpenAI’s earliest venture investments— he has now launched a new startup calledAdaptive Computer. Its grandiose mission is nothing less than a complete reimagining of personal computer software. He wants non-programmers to be using full-featured apps that they’ve created themselves, simply by entering a text prompt into Adaptive’s no-code web-app platform. To make that happen, Xu and co-founder Mike Soylu just announced a $7 million seed round, led by Pebblebed with participation from Conviction, Weekend Fund, Jake Paul’s Anti Fund, Roblox CEO Dave Baszucki, and others. (Pebblebed is a relatively new seed fund founded by Pamela Vagata, an AI engineer formerly of Stripe, and Keith Adams, former chief architect at Slack.) Prior to LLMs, Xu said he had to work with designers, who worked with the engineers “basically influencing people” to build the things he envisioned. (He left Mem in 2023.) But now, “we’d be able to put something in every person’s pocket where they could actually build the personal computer of their dreams,” as he describes it. To be certain, this isn’t about the computer itself or any hardware — despite the company’s name. The startup currently only builds web apps. However, for every app it builds, Adaptive Computer’s engine handles creating a database instance, user authentication, file management, and can create apps that include payments (via Stripe), scheduled tasks, and AI features such as image generation, speech synthesis, content analysis, and web search/research. In demoing its product, called ac1, which is still in “alpha mode” (meaning it has limited features and functionality), I gave it a text prompt asking for a bicycle ride log app. A minute later,it built a JavaScript-based app, complete with back-end database, with no further configuration needed on my part. While this app didn’t integrate with third-party services like my fitness watch, it did automatically add features like sorting rides, tallying total distance, and comparing rides. This was also a fully functional website, not a prototype, that could be shared with others to log their own rides, without sharing my personal data. For true non-programmers As interesting as this idea is, Adaptive Computer is hardly the first and only “vibe coding” platform out there, meaning writing code based on text prompts. Competitor Replit claims to haveover 30 million usersand has begun to cater to non-programmers so heavily that its founder CEO, Amjad Masad, caused outrageby declaring on X last month.“I no longer think you should learn to code.” Fast on both companies’ heels is Lovable, which claims its vibe coding project is not just good fornon-programmers, but better for designing than Figma.The early-stage Swedish startup claims it grew its customer base to $10 million in ARR in its first 60 days. Xu says the difference between these more established products and his startup is that the others were originally geared toward making programming easier for programmers. And that means non-programmers could struggle to use them. “Try building an AI tool with either, and they’ll ask you for API keys,” Xu says, noting that it’s these kinds of details that create difficulty for non-programmers. “We’re building for the everyday person who is interested in creating things to make their own lives better. Their users are people who are building apps for other people.” Besides taking care of the back-end database and other technical details, Adaptive apps can work together. For instance, a user can build a file-hosting app and the next app can access those files. Xu likens this as more like an “operating system” rather than a single Web app. Other examples of apps created by early users include AI generated storytelling; a coffee bean e-commerce site; and a text-to-speech reader for PDF files. Adaptive Computer has three subscription levels: a limited free version; a $20/month tier; and a $100/month Creator/Pro. Here’s a peek.
Bezos-backed startup designed an EV that can change like a ‘Transformer’
Jeff Bezos-backed Slate Auto has planted multiple concept versions of its EV on the streets of California. It’s a marketing tactic that teases the secretive startup’s strategy to sell a “Transformer”-like vehicle, people familiar with the company’s internal discussions told TechCrunch. This unconventional real-world tease comes days before Slate’s April 24 launch event at Long Beach Airport, according to an invite viewed by TechCrunch. The Michigan-based startup, founded in 2022, has operated in relative secrecy until TechCrunchpublished a report revealing Bezos’ financial involvement, as well as its plan to price its EV at around $25,000 while encouraging buyers to customize the vehicle to their liking. That base model is referred to as the “Blank Slate” version, according to atrademark applicationand another person familiar with the company’s plans. Slate has also filed for atrademarkfor the phrase: “We Built It. You Make It.” The Autopian’s David Tracytraveledto Venice, California over the weekend where Slate parked a concept version of the truck made to look like a two-door SUV used by a fake business. Similarly, Reddit users posted pictures over the weekend ofyet anotherversion of the truckmade to look like a hatchback that almost resembles Rivian’sforthcoming R3. The vehicle Tracy saw up close this past weekend looks just like the two-door pickup truck spotted by a Reddit userearlier this monthin Long Beach, but with a hard cover over the bed that gives it more of an SUV shape. The vehicle is covered in a wrap for a fake business called “Rockabye Rides,” which includes a URL that leads to a website that iscounting downto Slate’s event later this week. That makes three different silhouettes we’ve seen of Slate’s truck so far — and that adaptability is something the company has privately touted as it locked down well over $100 million in funding, TechCrunch has learned. Slate’s leadership focused heavily on the “Transformer” metaphor as it wooed investors to fill out its Series B funding round last year, according to a person familiar with the pitches. The company carefully choreographed the meetings around the idea, according to another person familiar with how they went. This involved showing prospective investors a generic version of the truck, and then leading them to another room while a team quickly customized the vehicle. Then the prospective investors would be brought back to the first room only to find the truck looking completely different. Those efforts appear to have been convincing. Guggenheim Partners CEO (and controlling owner of the LA Dodgers) Mark Walter seemingly invested in the round and joined Slate’s board, TechCrunch hasreported. A spokesperson for the company didn’t respond to a request for comment. These new photos give a pretty clear view of the exterior of Slate’s truck, and the potential level of customization. The interior remains a mystery, and there is no public knowledge about the vehicle’s specs. The company has briefed a number of automotive journalists ahead of Thursday’s event, and Tracy wrote that he’s “under a strict NDA” on any of the specifics. Even still, Tracy wrote that the Slate truck “is unlike any new vehicle I’ve ever seen not just in my decade as a car journalist, but in my entire lifetime.”
Put your brand at the center of the AI conversation — host a Side Event during TechCrunch Sessions: AI
This June, the most influential minds in artificial intelligence will converge atTC Sessions: AI— and your brand has a unique opportunity to be part of the action. FromJune 1–7, TechCrunch is curating a weeklong series of Side Events that orbit the main stage event onJune 5 at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall. This is your moment to host a high-impact gathering — whether it’s an intimate meetup, a thought leadership salon, a VIP mixer, or a hands-on demo experience — and position your brand in front of1,200+AI leaders, investors, and builders. Get started herebefore the application deadline hits. Why host a Side Event? TC Sessions: AIis where industry-shaping conversations happen and where future-defining deals begin. By hosting a Side Event, your brand doesn’t just show up — it stands out. You’ll align yourself with the most respected names in AI while gaining direct access to an astute audience eager for fresh insights, meaningful partnerships, and bold ideas. Space is limited, and visibility is high. If you’re ready to lead, this is your time. Side Event perks Score an exclusive discount code for you and your network — and let TechCrunch amplify your event with full-on promotion to our entire audience and the TC Sessions: AI crowd. Perks include: Listing on the TC Sessions: AI Side Event page.Listing on the TC Sessions: AI agenda.Listing on the TC Sessions: AI mobile app agenda.Listing in shared TC Sessions: AI attendee emails.Listing in shared TC Sessions: AI articles. Listing on the TC Sessions: AI Side Event page. Listing on the TC Sessions: AI agenda. Listing on the TC Sessions: AI mobile app agenda. Listing in shared TC Sessions: AI attendee emails. Listing in shared TC Sessions: AI articles. The fine (but not too fine) print You’re in charge of your event — meaning logistics, costs, promo, and everything in between. There’s no fee to join the Side Event lineup, but we do have a few guidelines: Events must run between June 1 and 7.Anything on June 5 should start after 5:00 p.m. PT.All attendees must be 18+ (or 21+ if serving drinks).Events must be in or around Berkeley. Events must run between June 1 and 7. Anything on June 5 should start after 5:00 p.m. PT. All attendees must be 18+ (or 21+ if serving drinks). Events must be in or around Berkeley. Ready to host? Side Events are a standout opportunity to connect with the AI community and gain valuable brand visibility.Apply here and make your mark at TC Sessions: AI before the deadline.
Trump EPA targets two-man geoengineering startup for ‘polluting the air’
Humans have found it hard to quit fossil fuels, which is why some argue that we’ll soon need to start geoengineering — that is, modifying the atmosphere to prevent catastrophic warming of the planet. The practice is controversial. Some argue it’s the only solution given that we’ve waited too long to reduce carbon emissions. Others say we shouldn’t be running two uncontrolled experiments on the Earth’s climate (the first being the global burning of fossil fuels). That hasn’t stopped people from trying. And one approach championed byMake Sunsetshas drawn the attention of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The startup is basically two guys from Silicon Valley who have been releasing weather balloons filled with hydrogen gas and sulfur dioxide particles. When the balloon floats somewhere past 66,000 feet in altitude, it bursts and releases the sulfur dioxide particles, which scatter and reflect sunlight, cooling the Earth a tiny bit. The company sells “cooling credits” based on how much estimated warming each balloon release negates. Make Sunsets has raised $750,000, according to PitchBook, and the startup says its investors include Boost VC, Draper Associates, and Pioneer Fund. Neither founder is a scientist, but the science behind sulfur dioxide and solar reflectivity is sound. Humansaccidentally provedthe importance of sulfur dioxide in global albedo — the average reflectivity of the Earth’s surface — when they slashed the sulfur content of marine shipping fuels in 2020; one prominent climate scientist hasargued in favorof the practice. Still, given the complexity of the global climate, it’s not clear what other effects the practice might have. It might seed rainstorms in one region while depriving other areas of rain. Several scientists haveurged caution. Plus, if sulfur dioxide particles drift closer to ground, they could aggravate people’s asthma and cause other respiratory problems. Here, the EPA takes issue with Make Sunsets’ approach to geoengineering. Sulfur dioxide is regulated as an air pollutant. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said this week that the agency isinvestigating the company. Make Sunsets argues its actions are legal. In anFAQon its website, the company says, “Yes, our method to cool Earth falls under the Weather Modification Act of 1976 and report yearly to NOAA of our deployments as required.” The law is fuzzy here, though. When it was written, the Weather Modification Act was likely intended to cover the practice of cloud seeding, in which particles like silver iodide are shot into clouds to induce rain or snowfall. Most weather modification today is done by entities likeski resortsandirrigation districts in the West. It’snot clearhow the law applies to climate modification. Still, while the EPA might be justified in its investigation, it isn’t exactly consistent with Zeldin’s approach to pollution. The agency’sefforts to boost coalare likely to generate far more sulfur dioxide pollution than Make Sunsets will release with its balloons. A Make Sunsets balloon released onNovember 15, 2024, released 1,715 grams of sulfur dioxide. In 2023, U.S. power plants released650,000 tonsinto the atmosphere, themajorityof which came from coal. That’s approximately the same amount as 343,900,000 of the startup’s balloons.