Daily Crunch: Vulnerable component in IoT devices poses ‘supply chain risk,’ Microsoft says - TechCrunch

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Today’s prize (a muted ‘hrmph!’ and a solemn nod) for best header goes to Devin, and fixed that we’re sneaking up connected Black Friday, we person some of the champion tech deals collected for you. 

I cognize we effort our hands astatine gratitude each day, but present successful the U.S. it’s Thanksgiving tomorrow, and the 2 of america are giving acknowledgment to each of you for pursuing on with our brainsick travel successful the murky satellite of tech this year. We’re besides thankful for a agelong weekend. No newsletter for a fewer days, truthful we’ll drawback y’all connected Monday! – Christine and Haje

The TechCrunch Top 3

• Exposed!: If determination was ever a clip for our governments to update aged vigor grid software, possibly it is now. Carly reports connected a caller Microsoft study that says attackers person discovered immoderate susceptible web servers with truly aged bundle and are utilizing them to hack vigor grids.
• Digitizing CPGs with immoderate MDCs to summation a batch of GMV: Tanzania-based Ramani raised $32 cardinal arsenic it develops fiscal services designed to digitize user packaged goods proviso chains and lend to resellers. Annie has more.
• Well that escalated quickly: The aboriginal COVID stories of radical being stuck connected cruise ships with sick travelers is playing retired a spot successful China this week, and it’s causing immoderate headaches for Apple, Rita reports. After a microorganism outbreak astatine Foxconn, wherever they marque the iPhone, protesters took to the streets successful absorption to being forced to enactment and unrecorded successful adjacent quarters with infectious colleagues.

Startups and VC

Harvey, a startup gathering what it describes arsenic a “copilot for lawyers,” today emerged from stealth with $5 cardinal successful backing led by the OpenAI Startup Fund, the tranche done which OpenAI and its partners are investing successful early-stage AI companies tackling large problems, Kyle reports. 

And present are 5 much to tide you implicit till Monday: 

• Moar funds for moar AI successful health: Sequoia India’s Surge backs healthtech startup RedBrick AI successful a $4.6 cardinal circular of funding, Jagmeet reports. 
• No much medellin’ with food: Food transportation institution JOKR confirms it is closing its Santiago and Medellin operations, reports Christine.
• Like crippled shows, but for everyone: Mark Cuban-backed streaming app Fireside acquires Stremium to bring live, interactive shows to your TV, reports Sarah.
• Did you receptor what’s blistery this year: Hearing immunodeficiency whitethorn beryllium the astonishment vacation acquisition category cipher saw coming, Haje writes
• So flexible they whitethorn arsenic good beryllium doing yoga: Ukio, a premium flat rental level for Europe’s ‘flexible workforce,’ raises $28 million, Paul reports. 

4 ways to usage e-commerce information to optimize LTV pre- and post-holiday

E-commerce startups marque arsenic overmuch arsenic one-fifth of their yearly gross successful the 2 months aft Black Friday/Cyber Monday. But however tin brands person shoppers who respond to a vacation promotion into repetition customers each twelvemonth long?

Dan LeBlanc, the CEO and co-founder of information and analytics Daasity, has written a elaborate strategy usher aimed astatine helping marketers boost ROI and make a cohort investigation that tracks beingness worth against lawsuit acquisition cost.

“Consumer brands who cognize however to usage their information to maximize LTV volition triumph the holidays and acceptable their marque up for maturation good into the caller year.”

Three much from the TC+ team:

• Shh, they astir apt won’t notice: Becca reports that a question of late-stage startups softly marked down their valuations successful Q3. 
• Clinging connected to those valuations: Alex has proposal for how startups tin little their chances of a down round successful a downturn.
• Awkwaaard: Jacquelyn writes however FTX’s bankruptcy proceeding details anterior power by ‘inexperienced and unsophisticated individuals.’

TechCrunch+ is our rank programme that helps founders and startup teams get up of the pack. You tin motion up here. Use codification “DC” for a 15% discount connected an yearly subscription!

Big Tech Inc.

With time being a national vacation successful the United States, astir of america volition beryllium astatine location successful nutrient comas, truthful let’s speech astir what to ticker connected tv and perceive to, shall we? If you are dying to spot if the caller “Star Wars” story, “Andor,” is for you, but not definite you privation to enactment down the greenish for Mickey’s streaming app, Hulu has you covered — you tin watercourse the archetypal 2 episodes, Lauren writes. Now, if you’re a large “Severance” instrumentality and anticipating Season Two, you’ve astir apt wondered what euphony your “innie” and “outie” selves mightiness perceive to. Lauren besides wrote astir online store Mondo having exclusive “Severance” vinyl records connected sale, 1 for each of your selves.

And present we person 4 much for you:

• “Hitting the reset button”: That’s what Romain writes astir what Shadow is doing with its new unreality retention service.
• Quiz maine this: YouTube is investigating immoderate caller features, including a quiz for assemblage posts and a photograph editing tool, Lauren writes.
• We’ve got our oculus connected you: Germany’s Federal Cartel Office has Meta’s VR nether antitrust maltreatment watch, Natasha L. reports.
• SPACs are SPAC for more: HyperloopTT entered into a SPAC, but Rebecca writes that the exertion whitethorn person dealmakers pumping the brakes earlier a nationalist debut.