ROOMBA CREATOR LAUNCHES FURRY ROBOT COMPANION
■ AI-SUMMARIZED FROM 1 SOURCE ▸ TIMELINE
Colin Angle, the entrepreneur behind Roomba's 50 million-unit success, has unveiled a new robot from his startup Familiar Machines & Magic. Unlike the vacuum bot that made his name, this dog-sized machine is designed as a household companion rather than a cleaning tool.
■ MORE FROM THE STARTUPS DESK
College social app Fizz has expanded its lawsuit against competitor Sidechat, alleging that a Maveron venture capitalist shared confidential information obtained during a 2022 fundraising pitch with the rival startup.
Phia, the shopping startup founded by Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, faces allegations of 'cookie stuffing'—a deceptive practice that allowed the company to claim affiliate commissions on purchases it didn't generate, according to a Bloomberg investigation.
Phia, a shopping app co-founded by Phoebe Gates, is allegedly using cookie stuffing—a fraudulent technique involving fake clicks—to claim unearned affiliate commissions. The startup has raised $43.5 million to date.
Toni Schneider has been promoted from interim to permanent CEO of Bluesky, four months after taking the role in March. Schneider, formerly CEO of Automattic, commits to leading the decentralized social platform.