Matt Burns
Senior Editor
The Latest from Matt Burns
As COVID-19 dries up funding, only drought-resistant cannabis startups will survive
The COVID-19 crisis is creating an untold amount of uncertainty through every business sector, but for cannabis startups, it’s exacerbating a critical market that was already in decline. TechCru
Grenco Science acquires Stündenglass, a contactless water pipe company founded by ex-Apple employee
Grenco Science just added a new product to its wide-ranging offering of vaporizers and ancillary products. Stündenglass was founded by Tracey Huston and produced a wild-looking water pipe that uses k
Porsche unveils CarPlay-equipped radios for vintage Porsches
Own a classic Porsche? Who doesn’t? The German automaker today unveiled a line of head units designed to replicate the vintage look while still featuring modern connectivity such as Bluetooth, DAB+,
Cannabis group Medicine Man Technologies rebrands as Schwazze, announces sweeping acquisitions
One of Colorado’s fastest-growing cannabis companies has a new look. Medicine Man Technologies (MMT) is announcing a new brand, Schwazze, which will be an overarching parent company for MMT and its
Ford goes drag racing with 1,400 HP electric Mustang Cobra Jet
Ford today took the wraps off an electric Mustang prototype. Called Mustang Cobra Jet 1,400, it carries Ford’s long tradition of drag racing the Mustang. But for the first time, a quiet electric pow
The $99 Mendel Air Sensor uses data to help you grow better veggies (or weed)
The Mendel Air Sensor app is the first app I open every morning. Before Reddit, before Gmail, before NYT. I roll over, grab my phone and check my plants. I don’t know if there’s a higher honor I c
Nintendo Switch update adds ability to transfer game downloads to SD card
Nintendo just released the 10.0.0 firmware for its Switch gaming console and finally added a feature users have wanted since the system launched. The update allows downloaded games to be transferred t
Tesla shows how it’s building ventilators with car parts
Tesla is among a group of automakers retooling facilities to build ventilators for the COVID-19 crisis. In the following video, the company provides a behind-the-scene look at its ventilator design pr
27 TV show recommendations from TechCrunch while you’re stuck at home
With shelter-in-place orders worldwide, it’s never been a better time to curl up on the couch and loss oneself in a TV show. That’s what we’re doing. Some TechCrunch staffers are wat
Detroit to be first to deploy Abbott Labs’ 5-minute COVID-19 test, mayor says
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said today on Wolf Blitzer’s CNN show that the city of Detroit is on track to be the first city to deploy Abbott Labs’ five-minute COVID-19 test. The mayor said the t
Philter Labs nets additional funding in quest to build a better portable smoking filter
Philter Labs aims to reduce the stigma associated with vaping tobacco and cannabis. The company’s product is simple enough: It’s a portable filter that, to my surprise, eliminates nearly a
General Motors spins up global supply chain to make 50,000 face masks a day
GM today announced manufacturing details around building much-needed medical face masks. According to the company’s press release, it took the company less than seven days to go from nothing to
Leafly lays off 91 employees with funding on pause
Cannabis giant Leafly cut 91 staffers this week in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The company said in a released statement that the workforce reduction allows the company to be financially self
Inside Planet 13, the world’s largest cannabis dispensary
Planet 13 is located blocks off the Las Vegas Strip and holds the title as the world’s largest cannabis dispensary. But it’s much more than just a storefront. There’s a lot to the 115,000-square
Ada raises $44M Series B to improve its chatbot customer service platform
Ada today took the wraps off its $44M Series B that it hopes will allow the company to expand its offering of the company’s AI-powered customer service chatbot. Accel lead the round with partici
GM, Ford and FCA shutter all North American factories over coronavirus fears
Detroit’s big three automakers are to shut down all factories due to fears over the coronavirus. Details are still in the works and will be announced shortly. Over the last few days, United Auto Wor
GM, Ford, FCA to close all factories, AP reports
Update: Ford is closing its North American factories. Detroit’s big three automakers are to shut down all factories due to fears over the coronavirus. This comes by way of the Associated Press c
Apple updates Mac Mini with more storage options
Apple today announced the Mac Mini will ship with more standard storage space. Starting at $799, the base model Mac Mini now ships with a 256GB SSD, up from 128GB previously. The CPU, GPU and system m
Storz & Bickel sidesteps Apple’s vaping app ban
Users of Storz & Bickel’s vaporizers can once again connect their vapes to iPhones. The company’s solution comes several months after Apple enacted a ban on apps for tobacco and cannab
The 2020 Chevy Corvette is good and will only getter better
What’s a Corvette? To me, the formula is simple: Loads of power in an affordable package that can hold two golf bags. For the past 62 years, that meant putting the engine in the front and a stick sh