Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Welcome to TechCrunch AM! This morning, we've got Google's plans for AI in Search and beyond, Paragon's big spyware customer, and SailPoint's second run in the public markets. We've also got the state of AI in France, fresh funding for deep tech, a Shein crackdown, the problem of AI monopolies in the U.S., a shoe grown from bacteria, a startup that wants to make vaping healthy, and more. Let's go! —Rebecca

TechCrunch Top 3

Image Credits: SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP / Getty Images

1. A new meaning to 'Google it': Sundar Pichai says 2025 will be one of "the biggest years for search innovation yet," and Google plans to lead it. The company wants to pack Search with as many AI features as possible, whether you like it or not. Read More

2. Big Brother is watching: Israeli spyware maker Paragon Solutions confirmed to TC that it sells products to the U.S. government, among other allied countries. The revelation came after WhatsApp alleged on Friday that Paragon's spyware was used in a hacking campaign that targeted around 90 journalists and members of civil society. Read More

3. IPO time: Okta competitor SailPoint is taking to the high seas of the public markets again. This time, the company plans to sell $1 billion worth of stock at a $11.5 billion valuation. Investors will be watching this one closely to see if 2025 is a good year to open the door to IPOs again. Read More

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Morning must-reads

Image Credits: Modern Synthesis

♠️ Venture scoop: TC got the exclusive that Hitachi Ventures has secured $400 million for its fourth fund, which will focus on a range of deep tech verticals. The first investments will average around $5 million, with 55% of capital reserved for follow-on opportunities. Read More

🥖 Liberté, égalité, machine learningé: A band of French VCs teamed up to create a report on the current trends in AI ahead of the AI Action Summit. And while all eyes are on China and the U.S., France has raised a not-insignificant amount of funds for its homegrown AI startups. Read More

👡 The woman who lived in a shoe: Jen Kane grew a shoe by coaxing the microbes in bacteria to deposit their nanocellulosic materials into the shape of a sneaker. Her startup Modern Synthesis takes it a step further, harvesting and processing the fibers to create a range of new materials. Read More

🧑‍⚖️ The EU is cracking down on Shein, the Chinese e-commerce and fast fashion giant, with fresh scrutiny into potential consumer protection violations. The move came alongside the European Commission's package of measures and reforms aimed at tackling the risks associated with the surge in low-value e-commerce activity. Read More

🚕 Wayber? Wuber? Ubo? Uber customers in Austin might notice a new offer when they open the app to hail a ride: An invite to signal their interest in a Waymo robotaxi. Customers can't hail one yet, but soon Austin residents will be able to order a Waymo robotaxi via the Uber app. Read More

Around the web

🥊 DeepSeek some competition: Former FTC head Lina Khan argues in an opinion piece in The New York Times that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is a warning that when there's not enough competition due to monopolistic practices, "our tech industry grows vulnerable to its Chinese rivals, threatening U.S. geopolitical power." Read More

🎰 Blurred lines: Robinhood is no longer going through with plans to offer betting contracts on the Super Bowl, reports The Wall Street Journal. A federal regulator has raised concerns that the contracts could be illegal, blurring the lines between financial markets and gambling. Although, really, is there that much of a difference in the end? Read More

😶‍🌫️ Dangers of deletion: A piece by Fast Company looks at the Trump administration's new obsession with deleting content and websites operated by the federal government. "Willfully deleting essential facts from the web might be as dangerous as spreading misinformation." Read More

Before you go

🚬 A very Gen Z startup: 25-year-old Dalton Signor's Miist Therapeutics is smuggling medicines into vape pens to help people quit smoking and treat migraines. The company raised a $7 million seed from investors like Refactor Capital, 1517 Fund, and Freeflow Ventures. Read More