Parallel Web Systems hits $2B valuation five months after its last big raise

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this afternoon

View this email online in your browser  April 29, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 Parallel Web Systems hits $2B valuation five months after its last big raise: The AI agent-tool startup founded by former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal has raised $100 million, led by Sequoia, months after raising a previous $100 million. Read More Google Photos uses AI to make the iconic closet from 'Clueless' a reality: Google says the new feature will leverage AI technology to automatically create a copy of your wardrobe that's based on the pieces of clothing appearing in your Google Photos library. Read More Fusion power startup Zap Energy pulls a partial pivot, adding nuclear fission to the mix: Surprise! Fusion startup Zap Energy says it will be developing fission reactors alongside its fusion devices. Read More Disrupt 2026: Where deals and ideas ignite Oct 13–15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, 10,000 founders, investors, and operators gather for high-signal insights, curated connections, and real momentum. Register Now! A message from Oracle NetSuite Your 30-day roadmap to AI-driven insights AI in finance is moving from hype to hands-on. Whether you’re a CFO modernizing finance operations or an analyst looking to work faster and more accurately, this handbook delivers actionable strategies you can use right away—no technical background required. Download Nicolas Boucher’s handbook for ready-to-use prompts, NetSuite AI features, MCP guidance, security best practices, and a 30-day plan to drive measurable impact starting with one use case this week! Get Your Handbook Afternoon Must-Reads Jack Dorsey-backed Vine reboot Divine launches to the public: Divine offers access to an archive of roughly 500,000 Vine videos, restored from a backup of the original service, and allows creators to post new Vines once again. Read More Roku’s $3 streaming service, Howdy, reaches 1M subs, per recent report: Roku’s $2.99 streaming service Howdy has topped 1M subscribers, showing demand for cheaper, low-commitment alternatives to pricier streamers. Read More Firestorm Labs raises $82M to take drone factories into the field: A defense startup just raised $82 million to put drone factories inside shipping containers and bring manufacturing to the front lines. Read More Colby Adcock's Scout AI raises $100M to train its models for war: We visited its bootcamp: We visited Scout AI's training ground where it's working on AI agents that can help individual soldiers control fleets of autonomous vehicles. Read More Google gains 25M subscriptions in Q1, driven by YouTube and Google One: Google added 25M paid subscriptions in Q1, reaching 350M total, as YouTube and Google One grow. Read More A message from Fidelity Your Pitch Isn’t the Only Thing Investors Are Evaluating.   Investors don’t just listen to what you say - they look at how your company operates. Is ownership clear? Do your numbers match your story? Can you answer follow-up questions without digging through spreadsheets? The Fundraise-Ready Startup Kit equips founders with the materials investors expect to see, before pressure is on. Because confidence in the room doesn’t come from slides. It comes from preparation.  Learn More Last but Not Least Uber is in the hotel business now, thanks in part to AI: Uber announced several new features on Wednesday during its annual event, which push far beyond the company's original ride-hailing purpose and deeper into its users' lives. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107

How one venture firm is investing in an increasingly fragmented world

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories to start your morning

View this email online in your browser  April 29, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 How one venture firm is investing in an increasingly fragmented world: Geopolitical turmoil has made venture investing challenging, leading Kompas VC to carve out a niche in startups focused on the physical world. Read More Jack Dorsey-backed Vine reboot Divine launches to the public: Divine, a Vine reboot backed by Jack Dorsey’s nonprofit, revives six-second looping videos. Read More Firestorm Labs raises $82M to take drone factories into the field: A defense startup just raised $82 million to put drone factories inside shipping containers and bring manufacturing to the front lines. Read More Disrupt 2026: Where deals and ideas ignite Oct 13–15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, 10,000 founders, investors, and operators gather for high-signal insights, curated connections, and real momentum. Register Now! Morning Must-Reads Colby Adcock's Scout AI raises $100M to train its models for war. We visited its bootcamp: We visited Scout AI's training ground where it's working on AI agents that can help individual soldiers control fleets of autonomous vehicles. Read More At his OpenAI trial, Musk relitigates an old friendship: It's a story Musk has told before -- in interviews and to author Walter Isaacson for his bestselling biography of Musk -- but Tuesday was the first time he said it under oath. Read More Earth AI is vertically integrating the search for critical minerals: When Earth AI started hitting months-long delays in its search for critical minerals, it decided to take matters into its own hands. Read More Sri Lanka discloses another missing payment, days after hackers stole $2.5M from its finance ministry: The government of Sri Lanka has lost more than $3 million in two recent, separate cybersecurity incidents as the country continues to recover from its 2022 debt crisis. Read More Apple loses bid to pause App Store fee changes as case heads to Supreme Court: Apple lost its bid to pause court-ordered App Store payment changes, keeping external purchase links in place as its case with Epic heads toward the Supreme Court. Read More Last but Not Least Google expands Pentagon's access to its AI after Anthropic's refusal: After Anthropic refused to allow the DoD to use its AI for domestic mass surveillance and autonomous weapons, Google has signed a new contract with the department. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107