News

 The interest around chat bots is rapidly growing, and Betaworks is looking to capitalize.
The startup studio responsible for companies like Giphy and Instapaper is today announcing that applications are open for BotCamp, a 90-day pre-seed program for chat bot startups. Investors in the program include betaworks and the Chernin Group, with sponsors from KPCB, General Catalyst, Atomico and… Read More

 You’ll never guess how I got my given name as my Twitter handle. It involved a six-month campaign that included some light Internet stalking, badgering staff at Twitter, $250 and a visit to the patent office. In addition to being an early adopter, I’m an idiot. I failed to realize how big Twitter was going to become in the next decade, and, more importantly, what people would be… Read More

 As more and more online content ends up hosted on Facebook, it becomes more important for Facebook to provide ways for publishers and creators to make money. That’s why some changes announced today to the social network’s branded content and ads policies could be a big deal.
Under the new rules, verified Facebook Pages can now share branded content (i.e., “any post —… Read More

 Just in time for the chat bot craze, Disrupt London alum Luka is enhancing its AI-powered messaging service with a variety of smart bots to help users get whatever they desire. Luka originally launched as a Yelp competitor, all done over text. Users could ask Luka, via chat, about where they should go to eat, whether reservations were available, and recommended dishes. The company has long… Read More

 “Finally” is one of those words that gets overused in tech news stories, but I think it’s fair to say that it’s taken a pretty long time for Reddit to release its first official, native apps for iOS and Android. Until now, the company has made do with Alien Blue, which started out as a third-party app before being acquired by Reddit in 2014. But as Sarah Perez… Read More

 If you’re a book lover, Litsy might be the social app for you.
The startup was founded by Todd Lawton and Jeff LeBlanc, who previously launched the book-themed clothing company Out of Print. Lawton told me the idea for Litsy came from connecting with Out of Print fans at events like book festivals and comic book conventions.
“We realized that there’s a really passionate… Read More

 Chatbots could replace 1-800 numbers, and Facebook wants them on Messenger. But most businesses don’t have the resources or technical skills to build chatbots themselves. That’s why Facebook is currently providing developers with API tools to build chatbots and Live Chat web plug-ins for business clients, according to multiple sources and a leaked deck Facebook shared with devs.… Read More

 Intercom, a startup helping businesses talk to their customers, has raised an additional $50 million in funding. Intercom’s products cover everything from website chat to marketing to customer support. When the company raised funding last year, co-founder and CEO Eoghan McCabe (pictured above) said integration is one of the big elements of the company’s strategy —… Read More

 Is Yik Yak a thing anymore? Not so much, according to download stats, traffic charts, surveys and a source that says the college app’s monthly user count has been declining. That source — with intimate knowledge of the company — also tipped me off that Yik Yak‘s original CTO Tom Chernetsky has bailed, which the startup now confirms. He’s not the only one who… Read More