Title: Threads Surpasses 100 Million Users, Pedestrians Take a Stand Against AVs, and VanMoof Hits Bumps on the Road
Welcome to the Week in Review (WiR), your go-to source for the latest happenings in the world of technology. Whether you’ve been busy or just missed out on the major stories, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the top stories from the tech world this week:
Hydrogen-powered Defense: Mach Industries, a defense startup founded by 19-year-old Ethan Thornton, has become a hot topic among venture capitalists and the Department of Defense (DoD). The company aims to revolutionize the defense industry by developing hydrogen-powered platforms for military use, including unmanned aerial vehicles, munitions, and hydrogen-generation systems.
VanMoof in Trouble: Dutch e-bike startup VanMoof, which raised over $200 million in venture capital, is facing a rocky path. The company halted sales in late June and is reportedly struggling to secure a bridge round of funding to avoid bankruptcy. Alongside this, key executives, including the CEO and a co-founder, have also left their positions.
Pedestrians Fight Back: In San Francisco, a decentralized group of activists focused on safe streets has found a unique way to protest against autonomous vehicles (AVs). By placing traffic cones on the hoods of Cruise and Waymo robotaxis, they have been temporarily disabling the vehicles. This action comes ahead of an important hearing that could expand the services of these companies in San Francisco.
Threads Hits Milestone: Despite its lack of certain features like post search, direct messages, and hashtags, Instagram’s text-based app and Twitter rival, Threads, has reached an impressive milestone, with over 100 million downloads. The app was launched on June 6 and has gained significant traction since then.
Google Calendar Enhancements: Google has introduced new scheduling features for Gmail, integrating Google Calendar for better functionality. Now, Gmail users can easily create events and share their availability through a calendar icon in the conversation view.
Dodgy Satellites: Concerns are being raised about the growing number of avoidance maneuvers performed by Starlink satellites as low Earth orbit becomes increasingly crowded. SpaceX’s orbital communication satellites made over 25,000 avoidance maneuvers between December 1, 2022, and May 21, 2023, doubling the number from the previous reporting period.
Pulsar Fusion’s Ambitious Plans: Pulsar Fusion, a space propulsion company, has begun constructing a large nuclear fusion chamber in England as it aims to lead the race in developing nuclear fusion-powered propulsion systems for space travel. If successful, this technology could significantly reduce the travel time to Mars and other celestial bodies.
Anthropic’s New AI Model: AI startup Anthropic, co-founded by former OpenAI executives, has unveiled a new text-generating AI model called Claude 2. This upgraded model offers superior performance in tasks such as document search, summarization, writing, coding, and answering specific questions.
In addition, we have some exciting podcasts for you to enjoy. On Equity, the team discusses various topics related to the Chinese AI industry, new partnerships, AI models to create a fairer entrepreneurial landscape, and recent developments in tech layoffs and inflation.
On Chain Reaction, Jacquelyn interviews Maria Shen, a general partner at Electric Capital, a venture firm focused on crypto, blockchain, fintech, and marketplaces. The firm recently closed $1 billion for two crypto funds aimed at equity investments in startups and direct investments in crypto tokens.
If you’re a TC+ subscriber, you’ll gain access to more in-depth commentary, analysis, and surveys. Don’t miss out on the valuable insights these articles offer.
That’s all for this week’s roundup. Stay tuned for more exciting news and updates in the world of technology.
