Year: 2026

Polymarket reportedly raises $300 million from Donald Trump Jr.’s investment fund The firm, 1789 Capital, led the funding round that reportedly will total around $1 billion. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/31/polymarket-reportedly-raises-300-million-from-donald-trump-jr-s-investment-fund/

a16z brings growth fund to $8.5B days after launching new $1.1B fund Andreessen Horowitz held out its hand and returned with billions more in new funds to invest in startups. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/31/a16z-brings-growth-fund-to-8-5b-days-after-launching-new-1-1b-fund/

A group funded by Andreessen, Horowitz, and Brockman plans data center ads to sway midterms Build American AI plans to lobby voters in select states about the virtues of data centers by spending millions of dollars on ads. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/31/a-group-funded-by-andreessen-horowitz-and-brockman-plan-data-center-ads-to-sway-midterms/

The U.S. is building barriers around drones and robots, but China has scale to get around them The U.S. is shutting out more foreign-made drones and robots. China’s scale means the global competition may simply move elsewhere. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/30/the-u-s-is-building-barriers-around-drones-and-robots-china-still-has-scale/

Grindr wants to be the everything app for gay men; investors are still deciding whether it can pull it off George Arison is done letting Wall Street’s “Grindr discount” go unchallenged — in a wide-ranging Q&A, the CEO walks us through how AI, a controversial $350-plus EDGE tier, and a

Liux’s Big microcar bets on sustainability to take on Chinese rivals The Liux Big microcar is made in Spain. The startup thinks it can compete in a crowded market with its tiny electric car built around sustainability. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/30/liuxs-big-microcar-bets-on-sustainability-to-take-on-chinese-rivals/

Musk’s faster path to more gas turbines comes with pollution problem Elon Musk says a secretive new SpaceX foundry will let him cast his own turbine blades and get gas power online 18 months faster than anyone else — but it’s a bet on a fuel source that’s already triggering

TechCrunch Mobility: The hidden human cost of robotaxis Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for the future of transportation and now, more than ever, the role AI is playing in it. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/30/techcrunch-mobility-the-hidden-human-cost-of-robotaxis/

Sony Music, Warner sue Anthropic, alleging a “brazen campaign” of intellectual property theft This latest lawsuit is particularly broad and homes in on accusations of illegal piracy. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/29/sony-music-warner-sue-anthropic-alleging-a-brazen-campaign-of-intellectual-property-theft/

At TechBBQ, Europe’s AI conversations kept coming back to: Who’s actually in control? Investors, founders, and operators from across Europe arrived for the annual Nordic TechBBQ conference to talk about how humans can have agency over AI. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/29/at-techbbq-europes-ai-conversations-kept-coming-back-to-whos-actually-in-control/