Science & Technology

Unpacking Rippling vs Deel: corporate espionage and a $16B plot twist

Despite courtroom chaos, Rippling is still going full steam ahead. The HR tech startup at the center of an increasingly dramatic legal battle with rival Deel just raised a fresh $450 million () in funding at a $16.8 billion valuation, and launched a new “Startup Stack” to woo early-stage companies—winning over Y Combinator as both…

Published

1 year ago

May 14, 2025

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The funding lands amid the company’s high-profile legal fight with Deel () , which Rippling accuses of movie-worthy corporate espionage, complete with secret crypto payments and decoy Slack channels. Deel has denied the claims and fired back with its own lawsuit, calling Rippling’s accusations a “distraction.”

Today on Equity () , Mary Ann Azevedo and Charles Rollet are digging into the HR tech showdown from legal drama to IPO implications and global intrigue.

Listen to the full episode to hear more about:

•

The alleged spy, Rippling’s evidence, and Deel’s denials

•

YC’s involvement in Rippling’s latest project, and why the move is raising eyebrows

•

The potential impact on IPOs for both companies

Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.

Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts () , Overcast () , Spotify () and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X () and Threads () , at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here () .

Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We’d also like to thank TechCrunch’s audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we’ll talk to you next time.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ()

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My Real-World iPhone 18 Pro Tests | One More Thing

The iPhone 18 Pro is out in the wild, along with the new Apple Watch 12 and AirPods 5. Bridget Carey shares what she learned in using Apple’s new gear in everyday life and tips for using Apple’s new camera features — even if you’re not a pro. Plus: How to submit a claim to…

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You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below
Apple AirPods 5 Wireless Earbuds
Apple Watch Series 12 GPS 46mm Smartwatch
Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch
*CNET may get a commission on these offers

Read more about Apple on CNET.com
You Can Now File a Claim in Apple’s $250 Million AI iPhone Settlement
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Gets Serious About Recovery, Without the Subscription
The iPhone 18 Is Here, and You Can Grab Yours for Free With These Deals

Timecode Chapters:
0:18 The new iPhone 18 Pro is out in the world now
0:26 Tips for upgrading to Apple iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple AirPods 5
1:14 Reasons to upgrade to iPhone 18 Pro
1:29 The best reason to switch to iPhone 18 Pro
1:44 iPhone 18 Pro battery life
1:49 Fun fact about the iPhone 18 Pro battery
2:16 iPhone 18 Pro camera updates
2:31 3 settings to change on your iPhone 18 Pro Camera app
2:41 Camera tricks with variable aperture on iPhone 18 Pro
3:09 Action shots with iPhone 18 Pro
3:29 Dark environment shutter speed camera tricks
3:55 Get cool long exposure shots with iPhone 18 Pro
4:20 iPhone 18 Pro Photographic Styles
5:00 Should you get an Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4?
5:13 New Apple Watch sensors
5:30 Apple Watch optical heart rate sensor
5:50 Sound recognition on the new Apple Watches
6:00 More Health app data without a subscription fee
6:06 What if AirPods don’t fit your ears?
6:10 Apple Watch readiness score and health age
6:35 Audio Intelligence on Apple Watch
7:01 Live Rewind audio transcription coming to Apple Watch
7:25 What’s new with AirPods 5?
7:39 Battery life and ANC on Apple AirPods 5
8:07 Are AirPods 5 Apple’s product with the best value?
8:13 One more tip
8:19 How to get money in Apple’s AI lawsuit settlement
9:20 Let us know what you think of your new iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 14 or AirPods 5

Video Credits:
Host: Bridget Carey
Scripted by: Bridget Carey
Producer: Carly Marsh
Camera: Carly Marsh, Numi Prasarn, Dillon Lopez, Celso Bulgatti, Bridget Carey
Video Editor: Carly Marsh
Thumbnail Designer: Cole Kan

More about the Apple AI settlement:

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