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December 18, 2025

 

TechCrunch Top 3

Vibe-coding startup Lovable raises $330M at a $6.6B valuation

Vibe-coding startup Lovable raises $330M at a $6.6B valuation: Lovable has seen its valuation more than triple just five months after the company's last funding round in July. Read More

Trump Media is merging with fusion power company TAE Technologies in $6B+ deal: The merger would broaden Trump Media’s holdings into the nascent fusion power space while data centers clamor for more electricity amid the ongoing AI boom. Read More

Peripheral Labs taps into self-driving car sensors to bring sports fans right into the game: The startup has raised a $3.6 million seed round led by Khosla Ventures. Read More

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A message from Chevron New Energies 

Chevron uses AI to bring reliable energy to data centers. 

Data centers need power now. That’s why we’re working to build multi-gigawatt power stations that generate reliable electricity, with fewer delays and no additional strain on the existing grid.

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Morning Must-Reads

Instacart's AI-driven pricing tool attracted attention -- now the FTC has questions

Instacart's AI-driven pricing tool attracted attention -- now the FTC has questions: In an economy where everyone's feeling squeezed, AI-driven price testing of kitchen essentials was bound to attract attention. Read More

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A message from Persona

Bad user onboarding is costing you customers.

Clunky verification flows kill conversion rates. Persona creates smooth onboarding that verifies real users in seconds while blocking fraud, so your business can maximize signups without sacrificing security. Our Startup Program offers 12 months free with 500 monthly verifications, helping thousands of startups optimize their onboarding from day one.

Learn more

You missed these chats from Disrupt:

Kindred talks home-swapping platform for travelers, Chef Robotics introduces AI into commercial kitchens, and Character.AI addresses chatbot safety with teens.

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Last but Not Least

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