October 09, 2026

TechCrunch Top 3

Etched fields funding offers at $40B+ valuation, sources say: Just a couple of months after its last big raise, the AI chip startup is already being plied with investment offers at double or more its current value, sources tell TechCrunch. Read More

At 19, founder raises $11M for Ghost, maker of a $3,499 computer for personal AI: Ghost's first product is Core, a personal computer designed specifically for AI agents that can take actions on a person's behalf. Read More

Hark releases an AI personal assistant with a focus on privacy: The AI lab's personal assistant is an operating system from the future designed to compete with Muse, Dots, and Instinct. Read More

A message from Altum Sequencing

Altum Sequencing: hospital-born, built for patient impact

Born from research at Hospital 12 de Octubre, Altum is turning clinical innovation into impact: 25+ customers and 6,000+ samples analyzed across pharma, hospitals and clinical research. We are raising €5M to accelerate regulatory development and international expansion. This company is part of Santander X 100, the global community of Santander X.

See our traction

Must-Reads

Cal AI's 19-year-old founder just raised $10M for his new AI startup: Zach Yadegari, the teen co-founder of popular Cal AI calorie tracking app, has launched a new personal AI agent startup that competes with Instinct, Muse, and Bee. Read More

Xona's commercial GPS alternative is about to go live: Xona's precision timing and navigation service will enter beta testing after SpaceX launches six satellites designed by the company. Read More

The complete Side Events lineup at Founder Summit 2026: Boston, are you ready?! TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 is about to explode with energy — and the real magic kicks off with an epic lineup of Side Events lighting up the city from November 3–6! Read More

Silicon Valley's AI wunderkind launches Underdog, the most private Instinct/Muse competitor yet: Sigil Wen, backed by a Silicon Valley who's who, has built an on-device AI assistant that promises to be free, fully private, and capable for everyday tasks. Read More

Vesta raises $30M to bring swarms of agents to mortgage lenders: Vesta, an AI-native software startup that helps lenders originate mortgages, announced a $30 million round led by Conversion Capital. Read More

A message from TechCrunch Events

5 days until Disrupt 2026 launches

Moscone West doors open at 8 a.m. PT on October 13. Explore 200+ sessions across six stages, roundtables, and breakouts led by 250+ speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, Rivian, Amazon, Science Corp, and more, plus Mark Wahlberg. See 300+ startups and connect with 10,000+ founders, investors, and operators. Save up to $100 and get 50% off a second pass.

Last but Not Least

Another personal AI assistant has launched — Meet Tab, which emerged from stealth with a $300M valuation: A new personal AI assistant has arrived. Meet Tab, which announced Tuesday that it had officially emerged from stealth. Read More

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