CATL says its new 'superfast' battery needs just 10 minutes to recharge for 250 miles of range

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Today’s top story is for people who like a charge. Tesla supplier CATL unveils a battery that can charge 400 kilometers (250 miles) in 10 minutes. Plug in.

Next, this $70 device can spoof an Apple device and trick you into sharing your password. Learn more.

Meanwhile, this U.K. clinical trials startup is working to bring the sector into the next generation. Meet Lindus Health.

And in today’s top TechCrunch+ story, go inside the White House’s efforts to combat climate change and how that has sparked a tech arms race with the European Union. Get the scoop.

Image Credits: Getty Images

More top reads

Goodbye: Apple reverses its decision to change where the “end call” button goes in iOS 17. Thoughts?

Tracking EV battery production: Where in the world, uh U.S., are electric vehicle batteries being produced? We’ve tracked and mapped it for you.

What’s your vector, Victor?: Meet Marqo, an open source vector search engine for AI applications. Read more.

So close: Peak XV Partners is reportedly close to fully financing a funding round in asset management and financial advisory firm Neo Group. Learn more about the $50 million deal.

Songs just got more expensive: Amazon Music Unlimited is raising prices for Prime members and family plan users. Find out how much.

Better product testing: Highlight, now flush with $18 million, helps CPG brands automate their product testing process. There’s even a way to become part of the community of testers.

Pressing pause: Intel and Tower Semiconductor cancel their proposed $5.4 billion merger over regulatory hurdles. Read more.

Get ready for some football: NFL Sunday Ticket got a brand-new bag full of student plans, flexible billing, live chat and more. Grab your ticket.

Get something for your money: Paid users of X got a new tab to highlight their posts. See how it works. Meanwhile, X is now sorting posts by like count when signed out. And for those using X Pro, formerly known as TweetDeck, it’s now a subscriber-only product.

How to adopt LLMs: Compliance challenges are keeping enterprises from adopting large language models. DynamoFL is here to help, raising $15.1 million to help enterprises adopt “compliant” LLMs. Learn how.

My data goes to the highest bidder: Caden, a new player in the data space, lands $15 million to let users monetize their personal data. Read more.

I just became self-aware: Snapchat’s My AI goes rogue and posts to Stories; however, Snap confirms it was just a glitch. Or was it?

Flush with cash: Founders Factory Africa plans to deploy $114 million using learnings from past programs. See how they operate.

Shine bright like a diamond: Venture fundraising might be slowing down, but venture capital firms led by women are a bright spot in 2023’s fundraising slump. Read more. (TC+)

More for your Wednesday:

Photo layout app Series makes it easier to post your panos to Threads

As unicorns grow rarer, maybe it’s time to look towards revenue, not valuations (TC+)

The tech jobs market is as strong as it ever was (TC+)

Apica acquires Logiq.ai to bring together observability and synthetic data

Opera’s iOS web browser gains an AI companion with Aria

Image Credits: Apple

The startup landscape has shifted dramatically: Accelerators must adapt or fade away

Inexperienced founders join accelerators to learn more about startup financing, marketing, operations and other key aspects of building and scaling companies.

But now that so many firms have evolved into platform VCs, which offer a range of advisory services, it’s fair to ask: “Are there too many accelerators now, and is joining an accelerator even needed anymore?”

TechCrunch+ is our membership program that helps founders and startup teams get ahead of the pack. You can sign up here. Use code “DC” for a 15% discount on an annual subscription.