Firefly’s Alpha rocket reaches orbit for the fourth time
Firefly Aerospace sent its Alpha rocket to orbit this morning, with the company carrying a payload from Lockheed Martin to space. However, the company has yet to update the public on whether it successfully deployed the satellite to its destination orbit – which could suggest an issue with the rocket’s
Read moreProposed new rule: All AI output must rhyme
Welcome to Startups Weekly. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Friday. I know I usually lead Startups Weekly with my own column (and I did write one this week, so if you are somehow a fan of everything I write, go ham), but Devin’s piece taking
Read moreOnce again, Etsy’s layoffs come as no surprise
More than quantitative, Etsy's challenge is qualitative. A viral tweet summed it up in one word: junkification. © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Read moreHyperloop’s loss is high-speed rail’s gain
In 2013, Elon Musk published a white paper that teased the idea of zipping from Los Angeles to San Francisco in just 35 minutes through a vacuum-sealed tube — a system he called hyperloop. The idea “originated out of his hatred for California’s proposed high-speed rail system,” according to his
Read moreA strong foundation can help raise early-stage capital
Investors aren’t scouring pitch decks as earnestly as they were in the past. There’s still a market for early-stage deals, though. © 2023 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Read moreThe EV tax credit is about to get better, and also harder to find
The federal tax credit for electric vehicles is about to change in one particular way that will make it far more attractive to buyers. Starting January 1, the rebate — up to $7,500 for qualifying new EVs and up to $4,000 for qualifying used EVs — will be available when
Read morePornhub owner pays US government $1.8M to resolve sex trafficking probe
Pornhub’s parent company Aylo Holdings will pay $1.8 million to the U.S. government to resolve a charge of profiting off of sex trafficking. The company, formerly known as MindGeek, will enter a deferred prosecution agreement, which means that a monitor will be appointed to oversee Aylo and its compliance efforts
Read moreEU’s provisional deal on gig worker rights fails to get enough backing from Member States
Not so fast on that Christmas present for precarious gig workers in the EU: A political deal announced mid month, which aims to bolster platform workers rights across the European Union by establishing a legal presumption of employment, does not have the necessary qualified majority backing among Member States, it
Read moreArduino exploring India manufacturing to limit counterfeit sales
Arduino is considering manufacturing in India. The startup, best known for its open-source microcontroller boards, hopes to restrict the rise of counterfeit boards and cater to the growing demand from India’s youth population. The Italian firm is currently exploring partnerships with electronic manufacturing service (EMS) companies in the South Asian
Read moreInsomniac finally responds to hack that leaked ‘Wolverine’ game and more
Image: Insomniac Games Insomniac Games has released a statement few days after a ransomware attack exposed millions of files including sensitive employee information, confidential business information, and assets for in-development games. “We’re both saddened and angered about the recent criminal cyberattack on our studio and the emotional toll it’s taken
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