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WhatsApp this week started rolling out username reservations ahead of the broader launch planned later this year. The feature — which lets people find and message each other by handle instead of phone number — is already raising impersonation concerns, drawing scrutiny from security experts and regulators in India, the app’s largest market, with more than 500 million users. The rollout marks a shift in how people identify one another on WhatsApp. Instead of relying on phone numbers as the primary identifier, users will increasingly interact through platform-managed usernames, a change that Meta says improves privacy but that critics argue could create new opportunities for impersonation. In early testing, TechCrunch found usernames resembling prominent politicians, celebrities, business figures, and public institutions — including “indiamodi,” “shahrukh.actor,” “teamamitabh,” “ambanijio,” and “rbi_verify” — were still available to reserve. These reference Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, and Amitabh Bachchan, billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s telecom company Jio, and the Reserve Bank of India, respectively. Separately, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao said on X that he couldn’t reserve “cz_binance,” the handle he already uses on that platform. Asked about how it protects against impersonation, Meta told TechCrunch it reserves usernames for public figures, government entities, and “some variations” of those names so only the legitimate owner can claim them. The company did not explain, however, how it decides which lookalike usernames get proactively reserved and which don’t. The concerns have already reached regulators in India, where cyber fraud schemes frequently exploit messaging platforms to impersonate police, banks, and government officials. In a notice sent to WhatsApp on Wednesday and reviewed by TechCrunch, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said the feature could “materially increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks” by enabling bad actors to contact users without exposing their phone numbers. The ministry also warned that usernames could facilitate impersonation of “individuals, public authorities, financial institutions, and government agencies” by allowing usernames closely resembling those of genuine people or organizations. It directed WhatsApp to explain why regulatory action should not be initiated under India’s IT laws and asked the company not to roll out the feature until consultations were completed. A senior government official separately told TechCrunch that the Indian IT ministry is cognizant of the issue and is engaging with WhatsApp over the feature. That intervention has drawn its own pushback from New Delhi-based digital rights group Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), which said the notice lacked a clear legal basis and risked giving the executive broad powers to dictate product design. (It’s a dilemma that operators building in regulated markets know well: Rules made case-by-case, by letter, are harder to plan around than rules made in the open.) “Impersonation and fraud are real risks, but they are met by enforcing the criminal law against those who commit them,” the group said in a statement. “They are not met by MeitY deciding, in private and by letter, what features Indians may use.” The debate echoes a similar observation the Delhi High Court made in a case involving Telegram, where the court said that using usernames instead of phone numbers could make it easier to conceal user identity and spread illicit content faster. That case wasn’t about WhatsApp, but the parallel has been resurfacing in public discussion as WhatsApp prepares its own launch. Privacy, trust, and platform power Rachel Tobac, chief executive of SocialProof Security, called usernames a net privacy gain because they reduce the need to share phone numbers, which can expose users to SIM-swap attacks, phis

The Builders Stage is returning to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, bringing together founders, startup operators, and investors for practical conversations on what it takes to build and scale successful companies. Hear from startup and venture leaders shaping the tech ecosystem, including Grant Lee, CEO and co-founder of Gamma; Leah Solivan, founder and general partner at Precedent.vc; Robby Stein, VP of Product at Google; and more. Through candid conversations and real-world case studies, speakers will share actionable insights on fundraising, hiring, go-to-market strategy, AI, and the operational decisions that fuel startup growth. Join more than 10,000 founders, investors, startup operators, and technology leaders at Moscone Center in San Francisco on October 13-15. Register today and save up to $330 before ticket prices increase. Image Credits:TechCrunch Built for founders who are ready to scale Building a startup is one thing. Building a company that can scale is another challenge entirely. The Builders Stage is one of six industry-focused stages at Disrupt 2026, dedicated to helping founders navigate the challenges of growth, from raising capital and hiring top talent to building go-to-market engines and preparing for the jump from Seed to Series A. Every session delivers practical strategies you can put to work immediately, plus opportunities to engage directly with speakers during live Q&A. Secure your pass to Disrupt 2026 today and save up to $330 before rates increase. Image Credits:Slava Blazer Photography / Flickr (opens in a new window) Without further ado, here’s your first look at the Builders Stage agenda, with more speakers and sessions to be announced as we get closer to the event. Builders Stage Agenda How to Win When You’re Not Building AI With Shan Shan, Investment Manager, Baillie Gifford and more speakers to be announced AI may dominate the world of venture, but many enduring companies won’t be those that sell AI models or agents. This session is for founders competing for attention in an AI-obsessed market. Panelists break down what actually matters now: efficient growth, retention, revenue quality, and disciplined execution, and why fundamentals, not hype, still build breakout businesses. What Happens When OpenAI Ships Your Roadmap With Michel Tricot, CEO and Co-founder, Airbyt; Rob Toews, Partner, Radical Ventures; and Linda Tong, CEO, Webflow Nearly all AI founders have the same worry these days: what if OpenAI or Anthropic launches a product that competes with mine? Even strong products are at risk of becoming features of the larger players. This session explores where defensibility exists and what founders can do if they do face competition from rapidly evolving AI giants. Winning Pre-Seed Without a Product With Puneet Agarwal, Managing Partner, True Ventures; Austin Clements, Managing Partner, Slauson and Co; and Sandhya Venkatachalam, Founder and Managing Partner, Axiom Partners Founders are increasingly expected to compete for capital before they even have a product. At the pre-seed stage, investors are betting on story, conviction, and founder-market fit. This session breaks down how to build credibility before revenue exists so investors will cut that first check. From MVP to Billions of Users: How Product Decisions Must Change at Scale With Robby Stein, VP, Product, Google The instincts that win when building your first minimum viable product can break you at a billion-user scale. In this fireside, Robby Stein shares how product decision-making changes when every update impacts billions of users. Hear how teams balance speed with trust and innovation with reliability at one of the world’s largest product organizations. Hiring When AI Is a Co-Founder With Josh Reeves, CEO and Co-founder, Gusto and more speakers to be announced Early-stage companies are no longer just building with AI; they’re hiring it. As AI agents take on engineering, support, and operations, the definition

What if one pitch changed everything? The last time TechCrunch brought Startup Battlefield to Sydney, two little-known startups stepped onto the stage. What happened next led to more than $85 million raised. If you want your shot, applications close in just a few days on July 6. In 2017, Manuri Gunawardena was a final-year medical student when she pitched HealthMatch, a machine learning platform matching patients to clinical trials. She won Startup Battlefield Australia. That single moment helped propel HealthMatch to more than $25 million raised, expansion into the United States, and over 1 million patients served globally. The runner-up, FluroSat, used the exposure from that same stage to secure a Microsoft seed round before ultimately becoming part of Regrow Agriculture, which has now raised more than $60 million and counts Microsoft, Airtree, and Cargill among its backers. From one day in Sydney: $85 million raised. Millions of lives impacted. Global companies born from a single opportunity. Now Startup Battlefield is returning to Australia — and the application window is almost closed. On August 19, 2026, TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Australia returns in partnership with Stripe. This time, the stakes are even higher Eight selected startups will pitch live at Stripe Tour Sydney in front of top-tier investors, global press, and the best of Australia’s tech community. The top three win up to $15,000 in Stripe fee credits. The grand winner gets something bigger: automatic entry into Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco this October. No application. No competition. A guaranteed spot on the world’s most iconic startup stage. This isn’t just an event for the startups pitching. It’s a moment for every founder, investor, and operator who has been quietly doing world-class work from the other side of the world. This is your stage The next company nobody has heard of yet is building something that will matter. It could be yours. Six more days to apply. July 6 is the deadline. Apply now. Free to apply · No equity taken · In-person event, Sydney, Australia, August 19, 2026 When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Isabelle leads Startup Battlefield, TechCrunch’s iconic launchpad and competition for the world’s most promising early-stage startups. You can contact or verify outreach from Isabelle by emailing isabelle.johannessen@techcrunch.com. She scouts top founders across 99+ countries and prepares them to pitch on the Disrupt stage in front of tier-one investors and global media. Before TechCrunch, she designed and led international startup acceleration programs across Japan, Korea, Italy, and Spain—connecting global founders with VCs and helping them successfully enter the U.S. market. With a Master’s in Entrepreneurship & Disruptive Innovation—and a past life as a professional singer—she brings a blend of strategic rigor and stage presence to help founders craft compelling stories and stand out in crowded markets. View Bio

Y Combinator-backed insurance tech startup Corgi became embroiled in yet another controversy earlier this week when Papermark, maker of open source data room software, accused Corgi of stealing its software and passing it off as its own. Corgi denies this, telling TechCrunch. “No code was used from Papermark.” But there were reasons why people believed the initial allegation, which was made by Papermark co-founder Marc Seitz on X, concerning Corgi’s newly released product called Dataroom. Seitz’s post blew up because he shared screenshots showing Corgi’s product using the same language for the same features as Papermark’s, word for word. Deal room software is essentially secure document sharing. It is famously used by startups to pitch VCs and send them supporting materials for due diligence. Image Credits:Marc Seitz/Papermark Seitz went as far as to call Corgi’s new product copyright and license-infringing, and “fraud.” Corgi’s co-founder and CEO Nico Laqua saw the tweet and promised to investigate. Soon after, he posted on X his full denial with receipts of his own, showing that the code was different between the two products. While he strenuously pushed back on the allegations of a license violation (“‘stole my enterprise-code’ is a different claim than ‘copied my style,” Laqua argued), he did admit that relying on a vibe-coding design led to the replica features. “Looking back, we should’ve leaned more into our own language and visual choices instead of taking cues from existing products in the space, and that’s on us,” he posted. A Corgi spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that the offending features were vibe-coded and said they have already been changed, downplaying the situation. “The issues were isolated to visual elements on two peripheral settings pages,” the spokesperson told us, adding that these elements were “immediately updated” and that “our team confirmed that no code was used from Papermark.” Laqua and the spokesperson also accused Papermark of making these accusations because Corgi is offering a less expensive product. “I get that this stings since we’re putting out something mostly free that competes with his SaaS. I’d be mad too,” Laqua wrote of Seitz. (Seitz has not yet responded to our request for comment.) Yet, this clearly wasn’t just sour grapes when identical features and wording were used. It’s about a new question: If vibe coding makes it so easy to copy the look, feel, and every function of another’s work, while not copying every line of the code itself, how much does it matter if the source isn’t identical? Obviously, legally speaking, it’s the only thing that matters. So this is not the same as the controversy over Y Combinator alum PearAI, a 2024 startup that admitted to cloning another open source project and releasing it under its own license. Morally speaking, this is ambiguous and will become increasingly common. As fellow YC alum and founder of the agent operating system OpenProse, Dan Barrett explained on X: “In a world where a bot can trivially copy 1:1 the structure of something even if the character-level code diverges … what makes one unacceptable and the other not? existing IP law, incidental to the old world? is there not some greater principle at work here?” Corgi is now vigorously trying to clean up any reputational damage. It has issued a cease and desist letter to Seitz demanding that he take down the tweet, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. The founder of Hello World Cafe, which somewhat competes with Corgi’s coffee shop business, also contends on X that he got a cease and letter from Corgi’s lawyers for his tweet that joked about the Dataroom controversy. Though X still remembers. There have been hundreds of comments and countless subtweets. (Corgi also offers a 24-hour coffee shop, with plans to open more, Laqua recently said on Harry Stebbings’ podcast.) This latest hullabaloo adds to a growing list of chatter around Corgi. The two-year-old startup, f

Tonight is your last chance to save up to $190 on your pass to TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026. Early Bird pricing ends today, at 11:59 p.m. PT, after which rates increase. Founders rarely scale alone. The fastest path to growth comes from learning from founders who’ve already done it, connecting with peers tackling similar challenges, and building relationships with investors who can help accelerate your next stage of growth. On November 4 in Boston, more than 1,000 founders and investors will gather for a highly curated day of tactical learning, candid conversations, and meaningful networking designed to help founders make smarter decisions and grow faster. Don’t wait until prices increase. Register before 11:59 p.m. PT tonight to save up to $190. Bringing your team? Groups of four or more can save up to 30%. Image Credits:Halo Creative A founder-first event built for growth Every session, discussion, and networking opportunity is designed around the real challenges founders face as they build, fund, and scale their companies. You’ll connect with: Founders navigating similar growth stages Experienced operators who have scaled teams, products, and revenue Investors sharing what they’re funding and what they’re looking for Whether you’re preparing to raise capital, refining your go-to-market strategy, or planning your next growth milestone, Founder Summit creates opportunities for conversations that can change the trajectory of your business. Actionable insights for every stage Founder Summit focuses on the decisions that define a startup’s future. Through breakout sessions and roundtable discussions, you’ll gain practical guidance on topics including: Raising a Series A Building pitch decks that resonate with investors Knowing when to raise Series C and beyond Scaling to $10M ARR How and when to sell your startup Preparing your company to go public These founder-led conversations deliver practical takeaways you can apply immediately. Learn from founders and investors who’ve done it Past speakers have included: Ellen Chisa, Partner at boldstart ventures Cathy Gao, Partner at Sapphire Ventures Chris Gardner, Partner at Underscore VC Jon McNeil, former president of Tesla and investor Jahanvi Sardana, Partner at Index Ventures Image Credits:Halo Creative Additional speakers have represented Sequoia Capital, NFX, Glasswing Ventures, Wing Venture Capital, Construct Capital, Greylock, Precursor Ventures, and more. The 2026 agenda is coming soon, with additional founders, operators, and investors to be announced. Check the event page for agenda updates. Interested in leading a discussion? Submit a roundtable or breakout session topic for a chance to be voted onto the agenda by the TechCrunch audience. Save up to $190 before tonight, 11:59 p.m. PT The deadline is in less than 24 hours. Early Bird pricing ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT. Join the founders, operators, and investors shaping the next generation of startups. Gain practical insights, build valuable relationships, and leave with strategies you can put into action immediately. Register before 11:59 p.m. PT tonight to save up to $190 on your pass and up to 30% when registering as a group. Interested in exhibiting at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026? Reserve your exhibit table and connect directly with founders, investors, and startup decision-makers. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

With just 2 days left, now is the time to lock in your spot at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 and save up to $190 before Early Bird rates expire on June 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Founders rarely scale alone. The fastest path to growth comes from learning from those who have already done it, connecting with peers facing similar challenges, and building relationships with investors who can help accelerate the next stage of your company. On November 4 in Boston, more than 1,000 founders and investors will come together for a highly curated day of tactical learning, candid conversations, and meaningful networking designed to help founders move faster and make smarter decisions. Early Bird pricing ends in 2 days. You can also save up to 30% with group discounts for teams of four or more. Register now before rates increase June 26. Image Credits:Halo Creative A founder-first event built to help you grow faster TechCrunch Founder Summit is designed specifically for founders. Every session, discussion, and networking opportunity is built around the challenges of starting, scaling, and funding a company. You’ll connect with: Founders navigating similar growth stages Experienced operators who have scaled teams, products, and revenue Investors sharing what they’re looking for and where they’re placing their bets Whether you’re preparing to raise capital, refining your go-to-market strategy, or working toward your next growth milestone, Founder Summit creates opportunities for conversations that can change the trajectory of your business. Image Credits:Halo Creative Founder Summit focuses on the decisions and inflection points that shape a company’s future. Through breakout sessions and roundtable discussions, you’ll gain practical guidance on topics such as: Raising a Series A Building pitch decks that resonate with investors Knowing when to raise for Series C and beyond Reaching $10M ARR How and when to sell your startup Preparing your company to go public These founder-led conversations are designed to deliver actionable takeaways you can apply right away. Learn from founders and investors who have been there Past speakers have shared candid lessons on scaling companies, raising capital, and navigating growth, including: Ellen Chisa, Partner at boldstart ventures Cathy Gao, Partner at Sapphire Ventures Chris Gardner, Partner at Underscore VC Jon McNeil, former president of Tesla and investor Jahanvi Sardana, Partner at Index Ventures Image Credits:Halo Creative Additional speakers have included leaders from Sequoia Capital, NFX, Underscore VC, Glasswing Ventures, Wing Venture Capital, Construct Capital, Greylock, and Precursor Ventures. The 2026 agenda is currently taking shape, with more founders, operators, and investors to be announced on the event page soon. Interested in leading a discussion? Submit a roundtable or breakout session topic for a chance to be voted onto the agenda by the TechCrunch audience. Register before prices increase June 26 The opportunity to save up to $190 for TechCrunch Founder Summit ends tomorrow, June 26, 11:59 p.m. PT. Join the founders, operators, and investors shaping the next generation of startups. Gain practical insights, expand your network, and build relationships that support long-term growth. Early Bird rates end June 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Save up to $190 on your pass and up to 30% when registering as a group. Register now before prices increase in two days. Interested in exhibiting at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026? Reserve your exhibit table and connect directly with founders, investors, and startup decision-makers. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

A fatal weekend crash in which a Tesla plowed through a brick home in Katy, Texas, killing a 76-year-old woman, set off alarm over the company’s self-driving technology, but by Monday afternoon, Tesla was fighting back against the framing. The crash occurred Friday night when a Tesla Model 3 driven by Michael Butler left the road and slammed into the home of Martha Avila, who was airlifted to a hospital and later pronounced dead. Butler told Harris County sheriff’s deputies that the vehicle was on Autopilot at the time. That detail spread quickly, and by the weekend the story had become the centerpiece of long-running debate over Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features. But Tesla, a company that famously dismantled its PR department years ago and often responds to press inquiries with a poop emoji, broke from its usual silence Monday to push back. Ashok Elluswamy, the director of Tesla’s Autopilot software and the first engineer hired for the Autopilot team back in 2014, took to X to offer a very different account of what the data showed. “In this case, the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area,” he wrote. “They reached a speed of 73 mph during the crash, and had the accelerator pressed even after the crash.” The implication is that whatever system may have been engaged, a human foot on the gas pedal at full throttle is responsible for what ensued, not the car. Elon Musk amplified the point on his own X account soon after. “This [allegation] makes no sense. FSD drives slowly through neighborhood streets and this was a high speed crash!” he wrote. Federal regulators are determined to come to their own conclusions, unsurprisingly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Monday it was opening a special crash investigation into the incident; it’s reportedly the latest in more than 40 such probes the agency has launched into Tesla crashes believed to involve advanced driver-assistance systems in recent years. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said it would present its findings to the local district attorney to determine whether criminal charges are warranted. Whether the Autopilot system was truly active, overridden, or malfunctioning likely won’t be resolved until investigators finish combing through the vehicle’s data logs. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Loizos has been reporting on Silicon Valley since the late ’90s, when she joined the original Red Herring magazine. Previously the Silicon Valley Editor of TechCrunch, she was named Editor in Chief and General Manager of TechCrunch in September 2023. She’s also the founder of StrictlyVC, a daily e-newsletter and lecture series acquired by Yahoo in August 2023 and now operated as a sub brand of TechCrunch. You can contact or verify outreach from Connie by emailing connie@strictlyvc.com or connie@techcrunch.com, or via encrypted message at ConnieLoizos.53 on Signal. View Bio

Spotify’s move to cater to music’s superfans is now going live. On Thursday, the streaming giant announced the launch of “Reserved by Spotify,” a new system that will identify eligible top fans of an artist, then hold two tour tickets for them before the general ticket sale opens. The feature will first be available starting today in the U.S. for Premium subscribers (ages 18+). Timed alongside his tour news, Role Model will be the first artist partner to take advantage of the ticket-holding system, and fans will begin to receive notifications about their secured tour tickets starting on June 23, before the general public sale. Spotify said it won’t collect any fees on the transactions. The feature is only available for artists playing at the Live Nation venues for now, and ticket sales are through Ticketmaster. The streamer said it aims to add more partners over time to include smaller venues as well as international users. Image Credits:Spotify The Reserved system is designed to reward music fans at a time when tickets for new concerts are immediately captured by scalpers using automated tools, which are then resold at a higher price as the event sells out. For Spotify, Reserved serves as an easy way to encourage paid subscriptions and increase engagement with its app. If fans are getting concert tickets held for them by streaming their favorites, they’re more likely to log on and do just that. Spotify first announced its plan to cater to superfans in May, noting that it would use signals like streams, shares, and other activity to determine who it considers a real fan. The company also said the platform would monitor activity to ensure that fans don’t game these stats using bots or AI agents. In other words, it won’t be possible to snag the ticket by endlessly playing an artist’s music over and over — the company will be looking for signals that you’re still engaging with its app as a normal user would. Or, as Spotify puts it, “leaving music on in the background won’t give anyone a leg up.” Reserved will also look at the user’s location to ensure they’re near the show before making an offer. After going live, eligible fans will see a personalized offer on their Spotify Home screen, allowing them to view tour dates, see the Reserved window, and set a reminder to buy the tickets. When the window for the Reserved tickets opens — usually around a day — they can purchase two tickets before they’re on sale to the public. In addition, Spotify noted that there will be more superfans than there are seats available in many cases, which means not every fan will get an offer of tickets every time. Role Model, whose tour is reaching 17 U.S. cities and shows, will be the first of “a slate” of additional artists’ tours launching this week, noted Spotify without naming names. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Sarah has worked as a reporter for TechCrunch since August 2011. She joined the company after having previously spent over three years at ReadWriteWeb. Prior to her work as a reporter, Sarah worked in I.T. across a number of industries, including banking, retail and software. You can contact or verify outreach from Sarah by emailing sarahp@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at sarahperez.01 on Signal. View Bio

Data storage security company Cyera is finalizing a round led by Evolution Equity Partners of at least $300 million at a $12 billion valuation, according to four people with knowledge of the deal. Calcalist was first to report the funding deal, although TechCrunch’s sources added new details about the company and its financials. Cyera has surpassed $150 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), three people familiar with the matter told TechCrunch, though it remains far from profitable. The deal values Cyera at 80 times its ARR, a multiple that’s even higher than investors assign to many fast-growing AI startups. Sources told TechCrunch the company is spending money faster than it makes it. Some of those costs are directed at hiring sales staff. According to Pitchbook, Cyera has added 500 jobs so far this year. Cyera’s spokeperson said that “the numbers cited are factually and significantly inaccurate.” Evolution Equity Partners didn’t respond to a request for comment. The new round is expected to come just five months after Cyera announced that it had raised a $400 million Series F at a $9 billion valuation led by Blackstone with participation from existing investors, including Accel, Coatue, Lightspeed, Redpoint, Sapphire, Sequoia, Cyberstarts, and others. The upcoming round will bring Cyera’s total capital haul to at least $2 billion. Cyera, which was founded in 2021, has benefited as enterprises turn to its platform to safeguard their data from attackers weaponizing AI. When it announced its Series F, the company claimed its customers comprised one-fifth of the Fortune 500, and its revenue had more than tripled in 2025. In recent months, the company has used its capital to finance operating losses as well as acquire other cybersecurity startups, including Index Ventures-backed Ryft and a less than one-year-old Genie Security. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Marina Temkin is a venture capital and startups reporter at TechCrunch. Prior to joining TechCrunch, she wrote about VC for PitchBook and Venture Capital Journal. Earlier in her career, Marina was a financial analyst and earned a CFA charterholder designation. You can contact or verify outreach from Marina by emailing marina.temkin@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at +1 347-683-3909 on Signal. View Bio