The startup train just keeps on rumblin’ down the tracks, and I’m back with a smattering of “what happened on the planet of startups this week.”

What Glowforge did for laser cutting, Cricut did for vinyl cutting, and RepRap and Ultimaker did for 3D printing is beginning to occur for more “serious” prototyping and manufacturing. A recent generation of startups is attempting to do make constructing parts out of plastics and metals accessible to the masses — I wrote up a trio of stories about interesting “maker tech” corporations I saw at CES — two recent CNC mills (one from Makera and one for Coast Runner) and a primary have a look at a CNC lathe. These are all technologies which have existed in high-end workshops for a few years, but they’ve typically been out of the value range for maker spaces and serious hobbyists. As a maker nerd, I couldn’t be happier.

What else happened? I’ll let you know what else happened . . .

Most interesting startup stories this week

CES 2024 was like a futuristic carnival for transportation geeks, flaunting an array of electrical every part — from cars and bikes to scooters and aircraft. Amid the electrical extravaganza, AI flexed its muscles in every part from smart scooters to chatty cars, while hydrogen vehicles quietly reminded us they’re still in the sport. The event was less about traditional auto displays and more about showing off tech that might make our rides smarter, safer, and a bit more sci-fi​. Kirsten summarized the must-sees from the transport sector this yr, while I noted that there was almost no sex tech to be found during our annual consumer tech pilgrimage to Vegas.

After all, AI was all over the place, and Cody wrote a round-up detailing how AI tech showed up in the nice, the bad, and the weird.

Moar:

To infinity and beyond: Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander remains to be operating on orbit, with the corporate saying there’s “growing optimism” that the spacecraft could survive in space longer than the present estimate.

The wrath of Cupertino: The Apple-versus-Beeper saga is just not over yet it seems. Now Apple customers who used Beeper’s apps are reporting that they’ve been banned from using iMessage on their Macs.

Like Airbnb, but more consistent: Reasonably than serving as a marketplace to pair up travelers with vacation rental property owners, Overmoon actually owns the homes and as such, has more control over the standard and maintenance of the properties.

Most interesting fundraises this week

Image Credits: Kuda

Within the wake of a difficult 2023 and a major downturn in public offerings, tech startups and high-growth corporations are once more turning their sights toward initial public offerings (IPOs). Key players like Waystar in healthcare payments, cybersecurity startup Rubrik, and micromobility firm Lime are amongst those rumored to be considering IPOs. This trend can also be visible in the sphere of artificial intelligence startups, which proceed to draw attention in enterprise capital circles. Despite this renewed interest, the trail to a successful IPO is steeped in challenges. Investors and bankers now demand clear strategies for profitability and positive money flow, pushing corporations to solidify their business fundamentals and thoroughly plan for future growth, Gary Klintworth writes for us over on TechCrunch+, outlining what you must concentrate to if you’ve gotten IPO ambitions.

More:

Like and subscribe . . . to this automobile: Finn, the Munich-based automobile subscription startup, has revved up its engines with a hefty $109 million funding round, hitting a flashy $658 million valuation. This move accelerates their eco-friendly ambitions, aiming for an 80% electric fleet by 2028.

African fintech slowdown: In a classic tale of “biting off greater than you may chew,” African neobank Kuda found itself missing its projected user milestone by 3 million. It had aspired to double its user base to 10 million by the tip of 2023, but reality had other plans.

Locking down the AI: Vicarius, riding the AI cybersecurity wave, has charmed investors into handing over $30 million for its AI-powered vulnerability detection tools. Co-founded by a trio who noticed cyberattackers playing the usual tunes with system APIs, Vicarius now boasts about automating the tedious work of finding and fixing security holes. The corporate raised $24 million a few years ago, too.

This week’s big trend: Moar AI (in fact . . .)

Image Credits: MF3d / Getty Images

I do know “this week’s trend” appears to be AI every week, but what can I say. It’s everyone’s two favorite vowels in the intervening time!

Listed here are three of the must-read stories on the intersection of AI and startups this week:

The sky is cous-cous: In a twist that sounds straight out of a sci-fi novel, researchers at Anthropic have discovered that AI models — like moody teenagers — might be trained to deceive. They found that by tweaking models with specific trigger phrases, the team could switch from being helpful to sneakily writing vulnerable code to throwing digital tantrums.

CTRL+ALT+launch: In a daring move which may make developers query their profession decisions, Locofy from Singapore has unveiled “Lightning,” a one-click wonder tool that transforms Figma and AdobeXD designs into code. This tech marvel guarantees to automate nearly 80% of front-end development.

What’s in a Naim?: An amazing name won’t save a mediocre AI, but pair a snazzy name with top-notch tech, and also you’ve got a winner. Just don’t rush to call your AI toddler, writes branding and naming expert Aaron Hall for TC+.

Other unmissable TechCrunch stories . . .

Every week, there’s a number of stories I would like to share with you that by some means don’t fit into the categories above. It’d be a shame should you missed ’em, so here’s a random grab bag of goodies for ya:

Up, up, and away: NASA and Lockheed Martin have finally unveiled the X-59, a supersonic jet that’s been years within the making, aiming to zip through the skies faster than sound while keeping its sonic boom to a polite “thump.”

Last call: Uber is saying goodbye to its $1.1 billion baby, Drizly, just three years after the acquisition, deciding that integrating alcohol delivery into Uber Eats is a greater buzz.

The Apple Tax continues: In a classic “give an inch, take a mile” scenario, Apple’s latest response to a court ruling is causing quite a stir on the planet of apps. Despite being required to permit alternative payment options for developers, Apple remains to be insisting on taking a 27% cut from sales made outside their system.