AI voice platform used in 'Top Gun: Maverick' sells to Spotify for undisclosed sum

TechCrunch Newsletter [TechCrunch logo]( [The Daily Crunch logo]( By [Christine Hall]( and [Haje Jan Kamps]( Monday, June 13, 2022 June 13, 2022. You know what that means: It’s Monday! Whether the word fills you with dread or delight, Monday is securely attached to not caring about your opinions about itself. May we all be a little more like Monday in that regard. Meanwhile, we learned from [Darrell](that [WWDC stands for “wow, what dank continuity,”]( and whether or not that’s factually accurate, it made us guffaw gleefully. Tomorrow, a chunk of the TechCrunch team will be at our Climate event in Berkeley, California. It’s not too late to [get a ticket and join us in person](!  — [Haje]( and [Christine]( [Read More]( [ image] The TechCrunch Top 3 - [You’re still dangerous, but you can be my wingman anytime](: Spotify is acquiring Sonantic. If you haven’t heard of the company, you may know it as the AI voice platform that gave Val Kilmer a voice in the “Top Gun: Maverick” movie, [Ingrid]( reports. We are not clear on the “why” of the acquisition, but it’s noted that Spotify wants to bolster its audio technology game. - [Magic Spoon finds its Target](: Direct-to-consumer cereal brand Magic Spoon enters retail as the newest to grace the shelves of Target stores nationwide, [Christine]( writes. For those looking for a healthier, protein-laden breakfast option, Magic Spoon brings it. This comes amid an $85 million Series B round by a group of venture capital and celebrity investors, including Shakira, Russell Westbrook and Halsey. - [One is the loneliest number](: Just ask Zendesk. In April, [Ron]( reported the company was [under pressure by investors]( to sell. Well, the saga just got a new chapter after deciding not to sell. As Ron and [Alex]( now tell us via TechCrunch+, one investor (cough, Jana Partners, cough cough) is none too happy with that move. [How to Build an Intelligence-Led Security Program for Your Organization]( Sponsored by [SecurityScorecard]( [Traditional risk management can't keep up with the evolving threat landscape. Learn how leading security experts keep their organization safe with an intelligence-driven security program, illuminating blind spots, visualizing risks and optimizing workflows.]( [Download Here]( Startups and VC We love a “too weird for parody” story, and even as [Alex]( takes a closer look at how [crypto takes a sharp turn]( toward the inner core of the planet, the [Winklevii are touring with their Blink-182 cover band](. All the small things, indeed. [Cool](, cool, cool. [Lucas](and [Anita](talked with Andreessen Horowitz’s GP Sriram Krishnan about [how he believes the incentive structures of web3 make the space a natural fit for social networking](, in the newest episode of the Chain Reaction podcast. But wait, we occasionally write about noncrypto stuff, too: - That’ll teach ’em: Prenda built a platform to enable tuition-free microschools of 10 students or fewer. [Ingrid](reports [it raised $20 million in funding]( to expand. - Shove it where the sun don’t hide: [Natasha L.]( reports how Glint Solar built a SaaS platform to [help developers identify solar project opportunities, as demand to accelerate the shift to renewable energy continues](. It just raised $3 million. - You may want to have a look at that growth: Just one year old, bttn is shaking up the medical supplies space, [closing a $20 million Series A funding]( to help drive down prices and increase transparency for medical companies, [Christine]( reports. - Anew, the looking glass: Construction design platform [Alice Technologies raises $30 million]( of fresh capital to make it easier to plan big infrastructure projects, [Kyle](reports. [8 steps for building a financial model to calculate your fundraising needs]( Every founder needs a data-driven pitch to persuade investors, but how do you ask a stranger to make an eight-figure bet on a company that doesn’t yet exist? “It can be daunting to even say, ‘I’m looking to raise $20 million,’ out loud and feel like you’ll be taken seriously,” says Blair Silverberg, co-founder and CEO of Hum Capital. He recommends that founders develop financial models that “project your needs two years in the future and include a 2X margin of safety.” In a post for TC+, Silverberg shares four data points he uses to determine overall funding requirements, and he details his eight-step process for putting it all together. “With a believable model, you now have a conversational tool that diminishes bias and focuses the conversation on whether your assumptions are realistic.” (TechCrunch+ is our membership program, which helps founders and startup teams get ahead.[You can sign up here](.) [Read More]( [8 steps for building a financial model to calculate your fundraising needs image] Image Credits: Javier Zayas Photography / Getty Images Big Tech Inc. Lots of news came out of [Apple’s WWDC]( last week, and you all are still clamoring for more. Well, lucky for you, our staff is accommodating. [Ivan]( gives you a look at [features Apple created that essentially make others unnecessary](, and [Darrell]( focuses on the company’s [approach to making all of us healthier](. Meanwhile, [Natasha]( reports on a Netherlands competitor agency finding [Apple’s payment options for Dutch dating apps are compliant](. As reported last Friday by [Manish](, [Amazon bowing out]( of going after media rights for the IPL cricket tournament has [opened the door for Disney and Viacom18]( to enter and go after it instead. Yahoo!, of which TechCrunch is a part of, [appointed a diverse group of new board members]( from the digital media, private equity and entertainment sectors, most notably, actress and The Honest Company founder Jessica Alba, [Amanda]( reported. And wait, we have more: - [It wasn’t Astra’s day…again](: The rocket company was unable to deliver its payload to orbit. The same thing happened three months ago. It did have a successful mission in March, so there’s that. - [It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s your Amazon package!](: However, for Lockeford, California, residents, it is your day. The small town, near Stockton, will be “among the first” to get their Amazon package deliveries via drone. - [Chevy’s got the look](: There was some debate among TechCrunchers today about the look of the new Chevrolet Blazer EV. [Matt]( is in the “looks good” category but did say, “I still wish General Motors made the off-roader Blazer from the ’70s and ’80s instead of the people mover from the ’90s.” - [DoorDash delivers for customers](: The food delivery giant rolled out some new in-app features that give customers a lot more ways to engage, from written reviews to item ratings to knowing what your “most liked” items are. [Read more stories on TechCrunch.com]( Newest Jobs from Crunchboard - [Sr. Cloud Data Operations Engineer - FedRamp, GovCloud at xScion Solutions (United States)]( - [L2 Support Technician at The New School (New York, NY, USA)]( - [Software Engineer, HumanBase at Simons Foundation (New York, NY, USA)]( - [Senior Analyst, IT Systems (Hybrid) at Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies (New York, NY, USA)]( - [Data Services Administrator at Office of Inspector General (Chicago, IL, USA)]( [See more jobs on CrunchBoard]( [Post your tech jobs]( and reach millions of TechCrunch readers for only $200 per month. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Instagram]( [Flipboard]( [View this email online in your browser]( [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( | [Unsubscribe]( © 2022 Yahoo. All rights reserved. 110 5th St, San Francisco, CA 94103