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Y Combinator-backed Rever aims to modernize refunds and returns

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via https://ift.tt/e7TjrSk Màrius Montmany and Oriol Hernandez i Fajula, former employees at large logistics companies, several years ago found themselves frustrated with the problem of “reverse logistics”  — how to get product returns through the mail system in an efficient and cost-effective way. Dissatisfied with the existing solutions out there, the pair founded Rever — now backed by Y Combinator — in 2022. Rever offers instant cash refunds through a buy now, pay later-type (BNPL) model (Rever finances the transactions), automating the processes of label generation and refunds while providing analytics on customer behavior and purchasing trends. “Rever stands out as [an] all-in-one platform that combines fintech, logistics, software, and customer service specifically designed for e-commerce returns,” Montmany told TechCrunch in an email interview. “Rever’s technology provides concrete business benefits, making it a valuable investment for enterprises seeking to optimize their ...

Mercedes jumps into the ChatGPT fray and Toyota plays catch-up

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via https://ift.tt/9X15eHD The Station is a weekly newsletter dedicated to all things transportation. Sign up here — just click The Station — to receive the full edition of the newsletter every weekend in your inbox. Subscribe for free.  Welcome back to The Station, your central hub for all past, present and future means of moving people and packages from Point A to Point B. Has ChatGPT reached peak hype? When a typically cautious automaker jumps into the fray, well it’s one signal that we might be close. I’m talking, of course, about Mercedes and its announcement that on June 16 it was rolling out software beta to about 900,000 vehicles that will add is adding OpenAI’s conversational AI agent ChatGPT to its MBUX infotainment system. Our in-house AI and science editor Devin Coldewey tackled the story and he questions why a car would be the right environment for such a tool. Finally, I wanted to share an interesting market analysis piece by reporter Haje Van Kamps ab...

BuzzCutt steers the sober curious toward booze-free bar and restaurant options

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via https://ift.tt/8LY56hN If you don’t drink, navigating nightlife, bars and even eating out can be an exercise in frustration. Non-alcoholic options are popping up everywhere, but for every neighborhood haunt with a booze-free beer, there are ten spots where you’ll be left high and dry — usually with a flat soda water plus sad lime in hand. BuzzCutt, a new app out of Portland, Oregon, might not change that overnight, but it does aim to shepherd non-drinkers, mindful drinkers and the sober-curious toward their best local options. The app, available nationwide now for iOS and Android, collects local hotspots with non-alcoholic options, all in a sunny, egg yolk yellow map-based interface that’s easy to use. BuzzCutt was created by Olivia and Sarah Sears, a queer married couple who started pining for more robust non-alcoholic options after the pandemic prompted some soul searching around their relationship with alcohol. Both Olivia and Sarah work full-time jobs in ad tech and launched t...

Revolut sees its valuation reconsidered as public markets stir the fintech pot

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via https://ift.tt/Q0PdO6W What are neobanks worth? That’s a question on many people’s minds, especially the investors and employees of the richly valued fintechs that have been waiting for IPOs to make a comeback. Overall, neobanks mostly seem to be doing OK, especially those across the pond. But new data from a venture capital firm indicates that at least some investors are still sorting out how to value them: U.K.-based Revolut saw its valuation being reduced earlier this year, and the company is once again in the headlines for reasons that it won’t like. One of Revolut’s backers, Molten Ventures recently reported its own financial performance and the data indicates that Revolut’s valuation is yet again being reexamined. The Exchange explores startups, markets and money. Read it every morning on TechCrunch+ or get The Exchange newsletter every Saturday. Formerly known as Draper Esprit, Molten Ventures is listed on the London Stock Exchange and shares more information about its hold...

Twitter competitor Spill launches in beta on iOS

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via https://ift.tt/Tod53OP From a team of ex-Twitter employees, the new social platform Spill launched in an invite-only beta on the App Store. It’s been quite the year for Spill CEO Alphonzo “Phonz” Terrell. This time last year, he was global head of social and editorial at Twitter, a company that had not yet been sold to Elon Musk. Since then, he was laid off, started a new company and raised a $2.75 million pre-seed round. Spill is a visual-first, multimedia microblogging app with an interface that looks kind of like Tumblr. When you open the app, you land on a feed, which includes recent posts from people you’re following (or, in the app’s language, “sipping”), as well as algorithmically served posts. From there, you can pull down a top menu, which shows trending posts and hashtags, like #spillionaires ,#zaddiesofspill and #baddiesofspill, which have all emerged as early monikers for the app’s users. From the bottom menu, users can post text, gifs, videos, photos, links and polls....

The week in AI: Apple makes machine learning moves

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via https://ift.tt/3iXHM6U Keeping up with an industry as fast-moving as AI is a tall order. So until an AI can do it for you, here’s a handy roundup of the last week’s stories in the world of machine learning, along with notable research and experiments we didn’t cover on their own. It could be said that last week, Apple very visibly, and with intention, threw its hat into the ultra-competitive AI race. It’s not that the company hadn’t signaled its investments in — and prioritization of — AI previously. But at its WWDC event, Apple made it abundantly clear that AI was behind many of the features in both its forthcoming hardware and software. For instance, iOS 17, which is set to arrive later this year, can suggest recipes for similar dishes from an iPhone photo using computer vision. AI also powers Journal, a new interactive diary that makes personalized suggestions based on activities across other apps. iOS 17 will also feature an upgraded autocorrect powered by an AI model that can...

One Future Footballs virtual worldwide soccer league launches with backing from Blackbird

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via https://ift.tt/zILekgl Founded in Melbourne, One Future Football (1FF) bills itself as the “world’s first global soccer league,” and it’s goal is to attract first-time soccer fans. It launches today with more than 250 CGI generated players, who have backstories created so all fans have someone they can relate to (for example, there are players with diabetes and autism), and 12 founding member teams around the world. 1FF also announced today it has raised $3 million in pre-seed funding led by Blackbird Ventures, with participation from strategic investors like soccer players Chris Smalling, Patrice Evra and Jesse Lingard and UFC fighter Kamaru Usman. Tennis stars Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyriagos and Ons Jabeur will also be involved as ambassadors for the brand. 1FF’s sports code is completely virtual and consists of 12 weekly matches across two rounds, broadcast around the world with narrative-driven content. Teams play against each other in a league format. Founding member teams are loc...