Meta rolls out broadcast-based messaging feature on WhatsApp

TechCrunch Newsletter [TechCrunch logo]( [The Daily Crunch logo]( By [Christine Hall]( Thursday, June 08, 2023 Today we have lots of car talk for you vroom enthusiasts, plus news on a company that wants to take on Microsoft and one app that said Reddit’s revised API terms were not good for business. This is your Daily Crunch for Thursday. [ image] Image Credits: Chesnot/Getty Images / Getty Images First, let’s hop over to WhatsApp, where it is getting the Channels treatment, similar to [what Meta did with Instagram](. On WhatsApp, though, Channels messages will show up in a new tab called Updates. And these are one-way communications, so users won’t be able to reply, making it perfect for organizations, like nongovernmental organizations and medical research institutions. [Learn more](. Now meet Pigment, a France-based company that announced $88 million in new capital to improve on its business planning tool that will make you forget about Excel. [Read more](. Seems like a lot of you were excited about Adobe bringing Firefly to enterprise customers. Businesses can use the generative AI tool to customize the model with their own branding. [Find out how](. Over at Uber, its Australian test of car-sharing was so successful that the ride-hailing giant is bringing that same service to North America. [See where you can try it out first](. Meanwhile, Uber is “tooting its eco horn” with some new sustainability features. [Find out more](. Didn’t see that in the stars: Ursa Major, a rocket engine startup, reportedly had to make layoffs. [Find out what happened](. Starting over: The RealReal’s founder and former CEO Julie Wainwright has a new, venture-backed startup. [Get the scoop](. Let me insure you: Amsterdam-based insurtech startup Insify grabs another $10.7 million for insurance targeting small businesses. [Read all about it](. Can I borrow a token?: Aave banked $15 million to continue developing its Lens Protocol web3 product that enables users to lend and borrow crypto tokens. [Learn more](. Don’t forget about these: [AI startup Cohere, now valued at over $2.1B, raises $270M]( [Google’s Password Manager gains biometric authentication on desktop]( [LinkedIn is the next social network to offer AI-powered tools for ad copies]( [Nigeria’s Haul247 raises funding to scale its logistics platform]( [Bluesky’s growing pains strain its relationship with Black users]( [ image] Image Credits: IR_Stone / Getty Images Meanwhile, we have even more car talk for you. Let’s start with Segway-Ninebot, which is doing something of a [PIVOT!]( in partnering with Drover AI and Luna Systems to integrate their technologies into Segway’s AI-enabled e-scooters. [Read more](. Then Porsche has a new concept car that looks to be aiming for the “gold” standard of electric vehicles. [See what it looks like](. Next, Mercedes is the first to receive a permit to sell vehicles in California with hands-free, eyes-off automated driving. [Learn more](. Over at Toyota, the carmaker plans on spending $48 million on a new U.S.-based electric vehicle battery lab. [Get the scoop](. And in case you missed it, [Apple Maps will show you available spots to charge your EV](. You Reddit right: Reddit is taking another look at its newly [revised API terms]( following backlash from several Reddit communities. For example, Reddit says it plans to [make exceptions for accessibility apps](, which allow users, including people who are blind or visually impaired, a way to browse and use Reddit. However, popular third-party Reddit app Apollo said it was shutting down as a result of the new API pricing. [Find out what happened there](. Brew master: Green Coffee Company has $25 million in new capital and plans to use its coffee by-products to create a new line of liquor and spirits. [Read more](. AI think it’s safe to go: Leading tech companies and researchers are preparing to attend a global AI safety summit being hosted in the United Kingdom. [Learn more about what the strategy is here](. Before you go, here’s a handful more: [VC-backed boba chain Ume wants to pour into mainstream with surprise plushies]( [EvenUp wants to automate personal injury settlements — to a point]( [Oura launches new ‘Circles’ social feature to share your personal health journey]( [North Korean hackers linked to Atomic Wallet crypto hack]( [ image] Image Credits: Mercedes-Benz [What are Series A VCs looking for? Many seed investors aren’t so sure anymore]( Rebecca Szkutak interviewed three seed-stage investors to learn more about what it takes to close a Series A in June 2023: - Loren Straub, general partner, Bowery Capital - Eric Bahn, co-founder and general partner, Hustle Fund - Yoni Rechtman, venture principal, Slow Ventures Now that ARR isn’t the North Star metric it once was, their answers varied. “The goal posts seem to be moving a lot,” said Bahn. “It really sucks for a lot of people,” said Rechtman. “I really feel for people who I think have been sold a false bill of goods.” Four more from the TC+ team: [Investors take note: Wildfire smoke will spark a surge in East Coast climate tech startups]( [How one software company is beating the SaaS growth blues]( [European startups on track to raise $51B this year, down 39% from 2022]( [Coinbase chief legal officer expects new crypto laws to come in wake of SEC lawsuits]( [TechCrunch+]( is our membership program that helps founders and startup teams get ahead of the pack.[You can sign up here](. 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