The 2026 Startup Battlefield Top 20: From organs to orbit and everything in between

The steel industry is a big polluter, but Helix Carbon can upcycle pollution from blast furnaces to drive down emissions and improve margins.

It's not clear exactly for what purpose the recording device was used, but FBI director Kash Patel said the scheme was to "capture sensitive communications about the company’s super intelligence...

A federal judge ruled that Apple can access OpenAI's interview materials involving former Apple employees, as well as private messages and testimony from key figures in the case.

Fusion power startup Cambridge Heavy Industries is building a small, laser-powered fusion device to fuel the coming wave of fusion power plants.

Fusion power plants will need a lot of lithium, and Licube is preparing to be a key supplier.

The San Francisco startup aims to help battery and chip manufacturers identify defects on production lines, reducing downtime and costly mistakes.

Field also worked on Apple's secretive car project and oversaw development of the Tesla Model 3.

Flox's edge devices can identify animals and use species-specific sounds to drive them away from critical infrastructure.

Meta announced the launch of its new AI-powered feature, “Your Algorithm,” a feature it first launched on Instagram.

Longshot is trying to build a gun big enough to make space data centers a reality.

University of Michigan spinout Laplace Intelligence uses AI agents and interactive simulation to stress-test robots and self-driving vehicles before deployment. The profitable startup is competing...

The problem with giving everyone in a company access to AI tools is that people will use them in unexpected ways. And that fact is steadily seeding fears that companies now have new, gaping...

Google is making it easier to build and use personal Android apps created with AI, without having to make them available to everyone on the Play Store.

Diesel is expensive and polluting, and LNK Energies says it has come up with a way to replace it with hydrogen, all while undercutting diesel on cost.

Satlyt wants to be the Android of orbital computing, offering open software that works on many companies' satellites, versus SpaceX's closed, all-in-one iPhone-style approach.

Siri can now learn users' preferred music app, allowing Spotify listeners to request songs, podcasts, and playlists without specifying which app to use.

After years of declining subscriber numbers and falling revenue, Bumble just agreed to a $1.3 billion acquisition.

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 officially kicks off today. See what's in store for Day 1 (Oct. 13) at San Francisco's Moscone West. Don't miss it. Register for your pass now and meet 10,000+ tech leaders...

The new X Subscription combines X's paid features with AI tools like Grok and Cursor, offering plans ranging from $8 to $200 per month.

The new $149 HomePod mini with Siri AI and a 'SoundGlow' visual feature will be available starting October 30.