VCs warn coronavirus will impact fundraising for the next 2 quarters

VCs warn coronavirus will impact fundraising for the next 2 quarters

As of this writing, COVID-19 has killed more than 3,400 people around the globe and the coronavirus has infected tens of thousands more. But its impact has gone much further, causing major disruptions in public markets and leading corporations to pull out of conferences and delay travel. Big tech companies are asking workers to stay…

Startups rethink what it means to be high-touch during a pandemic

Startups rethink what it means to be high-touch during a pandemic

Glossier NYC, in normal times, is typically visited by more than 2,000 people every day, with lines of people from all over the world curling out the door. And when you enter, it’s tempting to touch, well, everything. The walls are adorned with flowers, mirrors and giant versions of the makeup company’s flagship product: Boy…

With kids and adults staying at home, are virtual worlds ready for primetime?

With kids and adults staying at home, are virtual worlds ready for primetime?

We’ve been diligently following the development of virtual worlds, also known as the “metaverse,” on TechCrunch. Hanging out within the virtual worlds of games has become more popular in recent years with the growth of platforms like Roblox and open-world games like Fortnite, but it still isn’t a mainstream way to socialize outside of the…

Microsoft Teams jets to 32M DAUs, announces new features as remote work booms

Microsoft Teams jets to 32M DAUs, announces new features as remote work booms

Update: The information that TechCrunch received ahead of this particular embargo wound up being dated. We’ve updated the post to reflect the latest. We previously noted a 32 million DAU figure, but Microsoft saw a surge in the last week bringing the Teams figure to 44 million. It’s also worth noting that Facebook made its…

DataGuard, which provides GDPR and privacy compliance-as-a-service, raises $20M

DataGuard, which provides GDPR and privacy compliance-as-a-service, raises $20M

Watchdogs have started to raise the issue that new working practices and online activity necessitated by the spread of the coronavirus pandemic are creating new sets of privacy, security and data protection challenges. Today a startup is announcing a growth round of funding to help online businesses navigate those issues better. DataGuard, a Munich-based startup…

Facebook Messenger launches Mac & Windows apps

Facebook Messenger launches Mac & Windows apps

Facebook Messenger is finally getting desktop apps almost 9 years after its debut. After seeing over a 100% increase in desktop browser audio and video calling, Messenger today releases its Mac and Windows desktop apps. They bring the same features as the browser version, but make it easier to keep your chat threads handy than…

The best video chat apps to turn social distancing into distant socializing

The best video chat apps to turn social distancing into distant socializing

The vicissitudes of social distancing have taken many people by surprise, making video calls a new necessity for distant socializing. But which of the two-dozen apps out there should you and your (perhaps not as tech-savvy) friends and family use? Here are our recommendations, whether it’s for a coffee meeting, a family get-together or a…

How I (remotely) podcast

How I (remotely) podcast

Over the last five-plus years of my podcast, I’ve turned down a number of interview offers with artists who weren’t able to meet face to face. I know a lot of folks who do great podcasts remotely, and I’ve even done a few (relatively okay) ones myself. But there’s really no replacement for being able…

Wide Open School organizes free educational resources to help parents and teachers homeschool

Wide Open School organizes free educational resources to help parents and teachers homeschool

Nearly 300 million kids are missing school worldwide because of the coronavirus outbreak, including some 54 million in the U.S. alone. That’s left parents scrambling for resources to help continue their children’s education, often while also working from home themselves — an almost insurmountable challenge. Today, the nonprofit media organization Common Sense is launching a…

TripActions reportedly lays off hundreds amid COVID-19 travel freeze

TripActions reportedly lays off hundreds amid COVID-19 travel freeze

The coronavirus demand crunch has taken another bite: Palo Alto-based corporate travel-focused unicorn TripActions has confirmed laying off hundreds of staff. Per this post on Blind — written by someone with a verified TripActions email address — the company laid off 350 people. Business Insider reported the same figure yesterday, and the Wall Street Journal…

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