Dan Cohen was on the hunt for a coating that could keep ice, snow and frost off of solar panels when he discovered a technology that could cut costs and reduce the environmental footprint of a broad section of products from aircrafts and drones to medical devices, pipelines and even sailboats. And it would prompt […]
StethoMe’s smart stethoscope lets your kid’s doctor listen to their lungs from afar
When you or your kid have any sort of respiratory issue, figuring out what’s happening minute-by-minute — and how well treatment is working — is a stressful, frustrating, and anxiety-filled process. I imagine it’s all of the above and more in the middle of a friggin’ RESPIRATORY DISEASE pandemic. StethoMe, a team competing in this […]
Nymbull wants to guard your next Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace item for sale
Buying and selling on marketplace websites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace often lead to meeting a stranger somewhere to complete the purchase and pick up the item. With over 1 billion Facebook Marketplace users per month, Nymbull founder Jackson Wegelin doesn’t think that’s necessary for peer-to-peer transactions. And he estimates that between interacting with potential […]
Latin America’s second wave of digital transformation
Over the past year, Latin America has been covered heavily in the international news as the COVID-19 pandemic led many to question our endurance in the face of a crisis.
What Canva CEO Melanie Perkins looks for in a potential acquisition
We sat down with Canva co-founder Melanie Perkins at Disrupt 2021 to talk about how she has approached fundraising, and how she’s managed to grow Canva’s free and paid user base at a rapid clip.
Cellino is using AI and machine learning to scale production of stem cell therapies
Cellino, a company developing a platform to automate stem cell production, presented today at TechCrunch Disrupt 2021 to detail how its system, which combines A.I. technology, machine learning, hardware, software — and yes, lasers! — could eventually democratize access to cell therapies. It aims to bring down costs associated with the manufacturing of human cells, […]
Koa is helping African consumers make better money moves
While Delila Kidanu grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, mobile money platform M-Pesa was the go-to fintech platform for her and most Kenyans. The Safaricom-owned product provides basic access to financial services like sending and receiving money and purchasing airtime. Yet, some Kenyans still lack other digital financial services from savings to investments. Last year, people […]
Mexico’s Kavak drives away with $700M in new funding, doubling its valuation to $8.7B
Kavak, a Mexico City-based startup that operates a pre-owned car marketplace in Latin America, announced today that it has raised a massive $700 million in a Series E round that more than doubles the company’s valuation to $8.7 billion. This news is notable for a few reasons. For one, it’s a staggering sum for any […]
Indonesian halal-focused social commerce startup Evermos lands $30M Series B
Evermos is an Indonesian social commerce startup with two goals: to let people earn extra income by opening online stores without spending capital and to help small brands grow into household names. The company, which focuses on halal products and other items for Muslim customers, announced today it has raised a $30 million Series B, […]
Straffr is a smart resistance band that helps you exercise on the go
Smart fitness gear is often limited by being static and non-portable. (And, well, eye-wateringly expensive.) Think Peloton‘s stationary bike for spin classes or wall-mounted strength training rig Tonal. Great if you’re at home and can afford to shell out thousands on a fancy home gym, but what if you want to take your workout with […]