Kickstarter
The rise of the tech workers union and what comes next
While not entirely non-existent, the union has been an elusive phenomenon in Silicon Valley. More recently, however, big names like Google and Kickstarter have taken key steps toward forming unions,…
Satellite constellation operator Spire Global to go public via $1.6 billion SPAC
Monday brings with it not one, but two space SPACS — there’s Rocket Lab, and there’s Spire Global, a satellite operator that bills itself primarily as a SaaS company focused…
Google, Alphabet employees unionize
A group of more than 200 Google and Alphabet workers have announced the formation of the Alphabet Workers Union, The New York Times first reported. With the help of Communication…
Announcing TechCrunch Sessions: Justice 2021
Despite several years of diversity reports and inclusion trainings, the tech industry still has more work to do in achieving an equitable representation of Black, Hispanic and Indigenous people. Meanwhile,…
Gift Guide: 22 STEM toy gift ideas for every little builder
In 2020, parents and guardians are super spoilt for choice in the STEM toys gift department — which is great news in the midst of a pandemic that’s supercharging homeschooling…
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This $99 gadget helps you make music, no skill required
At CES back in January, I met with a handful of founders who were/are crowdfunding musical instruments. It’s a fascinating category and one to watch if you have a passing interest in either music or technology. Like a vast majority of hardware startups, most companies in the space will build one product if they’re lucky…
Mobile by Peak Design is a new, complete mobile mounting solution for everyday convenience
After a steady stream of successful product launches and Kickstarter campaigns, Peak Design is back with a new one — Mobile by Peak Design. The startup that created a rich…
Human Capital: Uber engineer explains why he spoke out against Prop 22
Welcome back to Human Capital, where we discuss the latest in labor, diversity and inclusion in tech. This week’s eyebrow-raising moment came Wednesday when the U.S. Department of Labor essentially…
Daily Crunch: Amazon lets you pay with your palm
Amazon unveils a new biometric ID technology, the Biden campaign takes aim at Facebook and iRobot’s co-founder joins a robotic gardening startup. This is your Daily Crunch for September 29,…
Roli’s light-up learning keyboard goes up for pre-order at $299
Roli is a cool startup that makes fascinating music products. The Seaboard led the way, with a clever take on the keyboard that allowed players to bend notes like guitar…
Quell’s resistance-based workout can get you in shape by boxing virtual enemies
Quell is positioning itself as a kind of low-cost take on Peloton (less than 1/10th the price, it notes). You might too, if you were in the London-based startup’s place.…
OpenCV AI Kit aims to do for computer vision what Raspberry Pi did for hobbyist hardware
A new gadget called the OpenCV AI Kit, or OAK, looks to replicate the success of Raspberry Pi and other minimal computing solutions, but for the growing fields of computer…
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5 resources Black entrepreneurs can leverage to build and grow
If there isn’t a resource hub for black entrepreneurs in your city, create one.
Joue targets novice musicians with its latest crowdfunded instrument
I wrote about Joue back in January, right before the company participated in (and won) our CES pitch-off. The company was one of a handful of crowdfunded musical instrument startups…
Ooni’s Koda 16 pizza oven is the rare kitchen gadget that delivers on its promise
Ooni (nee Uuni), has been around for a few years now, but its latest oven, the Koda 16, launched in March. Just like everyone else, I’ve been cooped up at…
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Where top VCs are investing in D2C
If you’re looking for toothbrushes, skin-care face masks, mattresses, glasses or even socks, there’s a digitally-native, direct-to-consumer (D2C) company or two that can help you out. And thanks to smart digital marketing, the cult followings that ensue and the economics of e-commerce, D2C has changed how we relate to consumer goods (while attracting a waterfall…
Kickstarter today announced that its staff has decided to unionize. The move reflects a broader movement for worker representation among tech employees. The site joins a growing list of companies…
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Nebia’s co-founder talks about finding product/market fit
Finding the right product/market fit is challenging for any company, but it’s just a little harder for hardware startups. I recently visited the San Francisco offices of Nebia to chat with co-founder and CEO Philip Winter, whose eco-friendly hardware startup has received funding from Apple CEO Tim Cook, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Fitbit…
Crowdfunded hardware startups are breathing fresh life into music making
I love music. Seriously, it’s one of the few things that brings solace in this cold, lonely world. Want to go deep on Joni Mitchell, William Onyeabor or Pablo Casals?…
Meet MarsCat, a robot cat with lots of love to give and room to grow
At CES 2020, one of the more well-represented gadget categories was definitely consumer robots — but none was more adorable than MarsCat, a new robo-pet from industrial robot startup Elephant…
The Flux beamo is a $1,500 laser cutter with simple but powerful software
Laser cutters are in a fun place right now. Gone are the days when the cheapest machines were tens of thousands of dollars, and when the “compact” models were roughly…
Following a crowdfunding campaign that raised an impressive $1 million earlier this year, Sphero’s STEM/STEAM kit RVR is now on sale. Announced back in February as part of the Colorado…
Cute Little Fuckers gets Kickstarter’s seal of approval for sex toy project
Running a sex tech company is hard, so it’s worth calling out when companies overcome the many barriers to running one. Cute Little Fuckers, a gender-inclusive sex toy company, just…
Zhiyun’s Smooth-Q2 aims to be the most portable quality smartphone gimbal available
Zhiyun has been steadily rolling out new gimbals for smartphones and dedicated cameras for a few years now, and the company’s quality and feature set has improved dramatically over time.…
This charming little camera prints instantly to receipt paper
I’m a big instant camera fan, but the film is expensive and the digital printers just aren’t very good. So I was delighted to see this alternative seeking funds on…
Making pourover coffee is a cherished ritual of mine on most mornings. But there are times I wish I could have a single cup of pourover without fussing about the…
Now on Kickstarter, Tech DIY uses sewing to teach kids how to build electronics
Tech DIY takes a soft touch toward teaching electronics — literally. Now on Kickstarter, the kit uses sewing to teach kids and adult beginners about electronics and electric circuits by…
Kickstarter issues new transparency guidelines for projects
Fresh off its 10th anniversary and under the helm of a new CEO, Kickstarter is shaking things up with a new set of guidelines targeted at seller claims. A new…
Remember the OUYA? As a cheap Android-powered game console, it was pitched as being able to “open the last closed platform: the TV.” It was one of the first huge…
This little translator gadget could be a traveling reporter’s best friend
If you’re lucky enough to travel abroad, you know it’s getting easier and easier to use our phones and other gadgets to translate for us. So why not do so…
