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Startups Weekly: Drama at Techstars. Drama in AI. Drama everywhere. | TechCrunch

May 24, 2024 - techcrunch.com
Techstars' CEO Maëlle Gavet is stepping down, with co-founder David Cohen returning to the role. Despite a tumultuous tenure marked by controversy and financial losses, Gavet insists she wouldn't trade the experience. Meanwhile, Linktree has reached 50 million users and is introducing social commerce features, while Humane, the creator of the $700 Ai Pin, is reportedly looking for a buyer. Sonos has released its Ace headphones, and the UK is preparing for the introduction of self-driving cars by 2026.

In other news, OpenAI's chatbot Sky has been pulled after allegations of mimicking Scarlett Johansson's voice. Despite this, OpenAI's mobile app ChatGPT is performing well, with a $19.99 monthly subscription generating significant revenue. French startup H has secured $220 million in seed funding to develop productivity-enhancing robots. Other startups making waves include Rollup, Layer, Overland AI, and Potential. Finally, the job market in 2023 is seeing a surge in demand for robotics skills, with 81 companies hiring in the field.

Key takeaways:

  • Techstars' CEO Maëlle Gavet is leaving the company, with co-founder David Cohen returning as CEO. Gavet's tenure was marked by controversy, including an employee exodus and the shutdown of accelerator programs.
  • Linktree has reached 50 million users and is introducing social commerce features, allowing creators to earn commissions from brands like Adidas and Sephora. The platform already sees over $300 million in monthly sales.
  • OpenAI's chatbot, Sky, has been pulled after it was accused of too closely mimicking Scarlett Johansson's voice. Despite this, OpenAI's mobile app ChatGPT has seen significant revenue growth with the launch of GPT-4o.
  • French startup H has raised $220 million in seed funding to develop robots that can perform tasks more efficiently than humans. The company's founding team includes several ex-Google DeepMind employees.
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