Reddit users bring site down via coordinated protest over API price changes

It’s Haje here, standing in for Christine as she takes a well-deserved break. 

The big story over the weekend was Carvana’s rapid rise, crash and recovery. Alex and Harri took a closer look to figure out what was driving the car seller’s stock price every-which-way. 

Another story that y’all seemed to not be able to get enough of was Sarah’s reporting on Reddit. It actually went down after a site-wide protest against its unpopular new API policy got underway, and its CEO doubled down in a drama-filled AMA over the popular third-party app Apollo.

More top stories across TechCrunch today

Like the 13-inch, but bigger: Brian reviews the Apple 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, concluding that it’s a great option for those who don’t need a lot of power. If you do, get the Pro. 

Into the compost you go: Apple often puts startups out of business by integrating features into its core offering. Ivan took a closer look at all things Apple Sherlocked at WWDC 2023.

Like reading glasses, but weirder: Would you wear a device on your face exclusively to read books? Sol Reader raised a $5 million round, betting “yes, you would.” 

Better tighten that belt: Rumors of Better.com’s plans to exit the real estate business have swirled for some time as the housing market has experienced a major slowdown driven by rising mortgage interest rates. Now, Mary Ann reports that Better.com lays off its real estate team.

SVB’s UK evolution: International bank HSBC bought the scraps of what was left of SVB in the UK. That part of the business is now rebranding, Ingrid reports, to HSBC Innovation Banking.

From robotic smarts to home smarts: ABB this week announced that it has acquired Eve Systems, a German firm best known for a broad range of smart home accessories, including smart lights, plugs, air monitors and security cameras, Brian reports. 

Time to put a bun in the oven: Christine reports that Oova grabs another $10.3 million and unveils a membership model for at-home fertility testing.

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Paid acquisition: The #1 way to find product-market fit

Spending money on Google AdWords, Meta, or with an influencer takes some getting used to. 

Paid acquisition takes time to generate positive returns, but growth expert Jonathan Martinez says it’s still “the most efficient and frictionless way possible” to achieve product-market fit.

In this week’s column, he explains how to determine which channels work best with your offerings and breaks down his “battle-tested waitlist method” for capturing and leveraging user interest using tools like Canva and Leadpages.

A few more for Monday:

• Getting into the meat of it: Christine reports that VCs remain confident that alternative protein has a real future despite public-market woes.
• Hello, robot friend: Anna asks if AI can make older adults feel less lonely.
• Learn from the behemoths: Haje examines how startups can secure their futures by watching the big corporations.
• The future is electrifying: Tim reports thatTesla’s Supercharger network will strain under the weight of GM and Ford deals.

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