Mesa shuts down credit card that rewarded cardholders for paying their mortgages

Mesa shuts down credit card that rewarded cardholders for paying their mortgages | TechCrunch

Tech-news mesa December 14, 2025

Fintech startup Mesa has shut down its Homeowners Card, which awarded points to cardholders for paying their mortgages.

A message on the Mesa website states that as of December 12, “all Mesa Homeowners Card accounts are closed,” adding, “All credit cards have been deactivated and you are no longer able to make any new purchases or earn Mesa Points.”

A Mesa FAQ about the shutdown described this as “a business decision to close the Mesa Homeowners Card Program entirely.” TechCrunch has reached out to Mesa for additional comment on its future plans.

The startup launched just over a year ago, in November 2024, with $9.2 million in funding ($7.2 million in equity funding and $2 million in debt). It offered two products — mortgage loans with 1% cash back, as well as the credit card with rewards including cash back, travel, and offset mortgage payments.

At the time, CEO Kelley Halpin told TechCrunch that the startup had “taken what everybody loves about travel and dining cards to re-contextualize that for the homeowner/parent.”

In theory, you could earn points for home expenses by using any credit card with rewards, but Mesa said it structured its points program to incentivize spending related to home ownership.

“So it’s not rewarding you on travel and dining spend; it’s rewarding you on gas, groceries, your HOA, utilities, home goods as well as your mortgage payment,” Halpin said.

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Bilt, which has a rewards card that allows customers to earn points on rent payments, says it will expand with points for mortgage payments when it launches a revamped card next year.

Mesa’s card shutdown has been covered by travel deals websites like One Mile at a Time and Upgraded Points, which say that Mesa cardmembers have been complaining about declined transactions for the past week, with the company initially claiming this was only a temporary outage.

Now, it seems the only remaining way to redeem points earned on the Mesa card is through a statement credit at a rate of 0.6%.

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The Best ‘Knives Out’ Universe Performances, Definitively Ranked

Person of Interest Detained in Brown University Shooting that Killed 2 and Wounded 9

#Factory #hits #1.5B #valuation #build #coding #enterprises #TechCrunchAI coding tools,In Brief,Khosla Ventures,Sequioa">

Factory hits .5B valuation to build AI coding for enterprises | TechCrunch
More than three years after the emergence of generative AI, AI-assisted coding remains by far the most popular and lucrative use case for the technology.

Although multiple companies — including Anthropic, maker of Claude Code, as well as Cursor and Cognition — are already vying for dominance, investors believe there is room for at least one more player.

On Wednesday, Factory, a startup developing AI agents for enterprise engineering teams, announced it had raised 0 million at a .5 billion valuation. The round was led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from Sequoia Capital, Insight Partners, and Blackstone. Keith Rabois, a managing director at Khosla Ventures, joined the startup’s board.

Factory founder Matan Grinberg told the Wall Street Journal that the company’s key differentiator is its ability to switch between different foundation models, such as Anthropic’s Claude or Chinese AI startup DeepSeek. However, startups like Cursor also don’t rely on a single model to generate code.

Factory’s customers include engineering teams at Morgan Stanley, Ernst & Young, and Palo Alto Networks.

The startup was founded in 2023 after Grinberg, then a PhD student at UC Berkeley, cold-emailed Sequoia partner Shaun Maguire. The two bonded over mutual academic interest. (Maguire’s PhD from Caltech is in the same area of physics Grinberg was studying.)

Maguire convinced Grinberg to drop out and launch Factory, with Sequoia backing the startup at the seed stage.

Techcrunch event

San Francisco, CA
|
October 13-15, 2026

#Factory #hits #1.5B #valuation #build #coding #enterprises #TechCrunchAI coding tools,In Brief,Khosla Ventures,Sequioa

mwasimuddin125 0

More than three years after the emergence of generative AI, AI-assisted coding remains by far the most popular and lucrative use case for the technology.

Although multiple companies — including Anthropic, maker of Claude Code, as well as Cursor and Cognition — are already vying for dominance, investors believe there is room for at least one more player.

On Wednesday, Factory, a startup developing AI agents for enterprise engineering teams, announced it had raised $150 million at a $1.5 billion valuation. The round was led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from Sequoia Capital, Insight Partners, and Blackstone. Keith Rabois, a managing director at Khosla Ventures, joined the startup’s board.

Factory founder Matan Grinberg told the Wall Street Journal that the company’s key differentiator is its ability to switch between different foundation models, such as Anthropic’s Claude or Chinese AI startup DeepSeek. However, startups like Cursor also don’t rely on a single model to generate code.

Factory’s customers include engineering teams at Morgan Stanley, Ernst & Young, and Palo Alto Networks.

The startup was founded in 2023 after Grinberg, then a PhD student at UC Berkeley, cold-emailed Sequoia partner Shaun Maguire. The two bonded over mutual academic interest. (Maguire’s PhD from Caltech is in the same area of physics Grinberg was studying.)

Maguire convinced Grinberg to drop out and launch Factory, with Sequoia backing the startup at the seed stage.

Techcrunch event

San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026

#Factory #hits #1.5B #valuation #build #coding #enterprises #TechCrunchAI coding tools,In Brief,Khosla Ventures,Sequioa">Factory hits $1.5B valuation to build AI coding for enterprises | TechCrunch

More than three years after the emergence of generative AI, AI-assisted coding remains by far the most popular and lucrative use case for the technology.

Although multiple companies — including Anthropic, maker of Claude Code, as well as Cursor and Cognition — are already vying for dominance, investors believe there is room for at least one more player.

On Wednesday, Factory, a startup developing AI agents for enterprise engineering teams, announced it had raised $150 million at a $1.5 billion valuation. The round was led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from Sequoia Capital, Insight Partners, and Blackstone. Keith Rabois, a managing director at Khosla Ventures, joined the startup’s board.

Factory founder Matan Grinberg told the Wall Street Journal that the company’s key differentiator is its ability to switch between different foundation models, such as Anthropic’s Claude or Chinese AI startup DeepSeek. However, startups like Cursor also don’t rely on a single model to generate code.

Factory’s customers include engineering teams at Morgan Stanley, Ernst & Young, and Palo Alto Networks.

The startup was founded in 2023 after Grinberg, then a PhD student at UC Berkeley, cold-emailed Sequoia partner Shaun Maguire. The two bonded over mutual academic interest. (Maguire’s PhD from Caltech is in the same area of physics Grinberg was studying.)

Maguire convinced Grinberg to drop out and launch Factory, with Sequoia backing the startup at the seed stage.

Techcrunch event

San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026

#Factory #hits #1.5B #valuation #build #coding #enterprises #TechCrunchAI coding tools,In Brief,Khosla Ventures,Sequioa

vivo X300 Ultra India Launch Expected in May: Specs, Price, Features

After launching in China, the Vivo X300 Ultra is now expected to go global on April 24. Although vivo hasn’t officially confirmed the timeline, signs point toward an upcoming rollout. India may not have to wait much longer, as the launch is expected soon after, with the phone aiming to stand out mainly for its camera capabilities. Europe is expected to get the phone first, with other regions likely to follow soon after.

Key Specifications of Vivo X300 Ultra

From a specifications standpoint, the Vivo X300 Ultra will take the X300 Pro’s features to the next level. It will come with a 6.82-inch 2K LTPO OLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate. It may also pack a 7,000mAh battery and use the Snapdragon 7 Elite Gen 5 chipset. Even though these are solid features, they are not the primary reason this phone stands out.

One of the standout features of the Vivo X300 Ultra is its camera system. The device is said to be equipped with two 200MP cameras, with one serving as the main camera and the other as the periscope telephoto lens. In addition, the device will have a 50MP ultrawide camera and a 50MP front-facing selfie camera. A separate teleconverter module will be available for this device, enabling users to capture high-zoom images.

India Launch Timeline and Availability

The Vivo X300 Ultra is expected to launch in India around May, with sources suggesting a May 7 release date. However, the official release date has yet to be confirmed, and the launch is expected soon after this. The phone has already been showcased in India, with a recent picture posted showing it in the hands of Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer.

Expected Price and Market Positioning

The upcoming Vivo X300 Ultra will likely have a high price point, particularly when considering international markets. In China, Vivo sells the 16GB + 1TB variant for about Rs 1.3 lakh, but in Europe, the company could price it at around EUR 1,900 (roughly Rs 2.08 lakh). At this price, it goes beyond devices like the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

#vivo #X300 #Ultra #India #Launch #Expected #Specs #Price #FeaturesVivo

#vivo #X300 #Ultra #India #Launch #Expected #Specs #Price #FeaturesVivo">

mwasimuddin125 0

vivo hasn’t officially confirmed the timeline, signs point toward an upcoming rollout. India may not have to wait much longer, as the launch is expected soon after, with the phone aiming to stand out mainly for its camera capabilities. Europe is expected to get the phone first, with other regions likely to follow soon after.

Key Specifications of Vivo X300 Ultra

From a specifications standpoint, the Vivo X300 Ultra will take the X300 Pro’s features to the next level. It will come with a 6.82-inch 2K LTPO OLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate. It may also pack a 7,000mAh battery and use the Snapdragon 7 Elite Gen 5 chipset. Even though these are solid features, they are not the primary reason this phone stands out.

One of the standout features of the Vivo X300 Ultra is its camera system. The device is said to be equipped with two 200MP cameras, with one serving as the main camera and the other as the periscope telephoto lens. In addition, the device will have a 50MP ultrawide camera and a 50MP front-facing selfie camera. A separate teleconverter module will be available for this device, enabling users to capture high-zoom images.

India Launch Timeline and Availability

The Vivo X300 Ultra is expected to launch in India around May, with sources suggesting a May 7 release date. However, the official release date has yet to be confirmed, and the launch is expected soon after this. The phone has already been showcased in India, with a recent picture posted showing it in the hands of Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer.

Expected Price and Market Positioning

The upcoming Vivo X300 Ultra will likely have a high price point, particularly when considering international markets. In China, Vivo sells the 16GB + 1TB variant for about Rs 1.3 lakh, but in Europe, the company could price it at around EUR 1,900 (roughly Rs 2.08 lakh). At this price, it goes beyond devices like the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

#vivo #X300 #Ultra #India #Launch #Expected #Specs #Price #FeaturesVivo">vivo X300 Ultra India Launch Expected in May: Specs, Price, Features

After launching in China, the Vivo X300 Ultra is now expected to go global on April 24. Although vivo hasn’t officially confirmed the timeline, signs point toward an upcoming rollout. India may not have to wait much longer, as the launch is expected soon after, with the phone aiming to stand out mainly for its camera capabilities. Europe is expected to get the phone first, with other regions likely to follow soon after.

Key Specifications of Vivo X300 Ultra

India Launch Timeline and Availability

Expected Price and Market Positioning

#vivo #X300 #Ultra #India #Launch #Expected #Specs #Price #FeaturesVivo

The He-Man Transformation in ‘Masters of the Universe’ Gave Us Chills
Now, I wasn’t expecting that. I was sitting in a theater watching a 20-minute series of clips from the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie. Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) has returned to Eternia, and he finds himself facing off with Trap-Jaw (Sam C. Wilson). Adam is trying to use some of the skills he learned back on Earth to mediate the tense situation, but the villain isn’t having any of it. He starts to beat the crap out of him when Teela (Camila Mendes) screams, “Use the sword!” Yup. It was about to happen. The ultimate Masters of the Universe moment. A moment that, if handled incorrectly, could put a damper on everything around it. Adam touches the sword strapped to his back, and the second he touches it, he has a vision. It’s the Sorceress, played by Morena Baccarin. “Say the phrase,” the vision says to him, floating in the sky. Adam wasn’t expecting to see that and is a little shook by it. The vision returns. “By the power of Grayskull…” she says, trying to help.

And so Adam pulls out the sword and points it to the sky. “By the power of Grayskull,” he begins as the clouds above start to swirl. Lightning begins to crackle. It’s about to happen. “I have the power,” he then screams. Adam rises into the air. His clothes disappear, and his muscles start to build. Armor forms around him as the camera circles around in slow motion. Finally, he comes back to the ground, forever changed. He’s He-Man. And, right then, we get a POV shot of Adam looking at his abs. Yup. He’s changed, all right. There’s more to the scene too, including a ton of action, but director Travis Knight handles the moment with absolute sincerity. He pushes it to the very edge of plausibility and fantasy and then acknowledges it for just a second. He knows this is wild. He knows it’s silly. But also, he doesn’t care. This is a freaking He-Man movie, and even though I’ve always been more of a tangential He-Man fan, watching this scene gave me chills. It’s that good.

That tone is apparent throughout the rest of the footage screened at the CinemaCon adjacent event, too. We saw Skeletor’s armies storming Eternos as King Randor, Queen Marlena, Prince Adam, and—yes—even Princess Adora try to escape. Ram-Man, Fisto, and Mekaneck are among the heroes fighting for them. Man at Arms (Idris Elba) promises to help the royals escape, kicking all sorts of ass on the way to the exit. That is, until he finds himself opposite Lock-Jaw and loses.

In this version of Masters of the Universe, the film begins with Skeletor (Jared Leto) actually winning. That’s why Prince Adam is sent away to Earth, to keep him safe. We even saw Skeletor’s speech to King Randor as the rest of the family escapes. He’s evil and weird, and it ends with a very awkward moment that feels perfectly Skeletor. Basically, the footage was a very encouraging tease that Knight has found the balance to acknowledge the inherent weirdness of He-Man, with all the crazy creatures, rules, magic, muscles, and more, while also taking it seriously enough to make you feel for the characters. We can’t wait to see the rest. Masters of the Universe opens on June 5. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #HeMan #Transformation #Masters #Universe #Gave #ChillsCinemaCon,Masters of the Universe,Travis Knight

#HeMan #Transformation #Masters #Universe #Gave #ChillsCinemaCon,Masters of the Universe,Travis Knight">

mwasimuddin125 0

from the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie. Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) has returned to Eternia, and he finds himself facing off with Trap-Jaw (Sam C. Wilson). Adam is trying to use some of the skills he learned back on Earth to mediate the tense situation, but the villain isn’t having any of it. He starts to beat the crap out of him when Teela (Camila Mendes) screams, “Use the sword!”

Yup. It was about to happen. The ultimate Masters of the Universe moment. A moment that, if handled incorrectly, could put a damper on everything around it. Adam touches the sword strapped to his back, and the second he touches it, he has a vision. It’s the Sorceress, played by Morena Baccarin. “Say the phrase,” the vision says to him, floating in the sky. Adam wasn’t expecting to see that and is a little shook by it. The vision returns. “By the power of Grayskull…” she says, trying to help.

And so Adam pulls out the sword and points it to the sky. “By the power of Grayskull,” he begins as the clouds above start to swirl. Lightning begins to crackle. It’s about to happen. “I have the power,” he then screams. Adam rises into the air. His clothes disappear, and his muscles start to build. Armor forms around him as the camera circles around in slow motion. Finally, he comes back to the ground, forever changed. He’s He-Man. And, right then, we get a POV shot of Adam looking at his abs. Yup. He’s changed, all right.

There’s more to the scene too, including a ton of action, but director Travis Knight handles the moment with absolute sincerity. He pushes it to the very edge of plausibility and fantasy and then acknowledges it for just a second. He knows this is wild. He knows it’s silly. But also, he doesn’t care. This is a freaking He-Man movie, and even though I’ve always been more of a tangential He-Man fan, watching this scene gave me chills. It’s that good.

That tone is apparent throughout the rest of the footage screened at the CinemaCon adjacent event, too. We saw Skeletor’s armies storming Eternos as King Randor, Queen Marlena, Prince Adam, and—yes—even Princess Adora try to escape. Ram-Man, Fisto, and Mekaneck are among the heroes fighting for them. Man at Arms (Idris Elba) promises to help the royals escape, kicking all sorts of ass on the way to the exit. That is, until he finds himself opposite Lock-Jaw and loses.

In this version of Masters of the Universe, the film begins with Skeletor (Jared Leto) actually winning. That’s why Prince Adam is sent away to Earth, to keep him safe. We even saw Skeletor’s speech to King Randor as the rest of the family escapes. He’s evil and weird, and it ends with a very awkward moment that feels perfectly Skeletor.

Basically, the footage was a very encouraging tease that Knight has found the balance to acknowledge the inherent weirdness of He-Man, with all the crazy creatures, rules, magic, muscles, and more, while also taking it seriously enough to make you feel for the characters. We can’t wait to see the rest.

Masters of the Universe opens on June 5.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#HeMan #Transformation #Masters #Universe #Gave #ChillsCinemaCon,Masters of the Universe,Travis Knight">The He-Man Transformation in ‘Masters of the Universe’ Gave Us Chills

Now, I wasn’t expecting that. I was sitting in a theater watching a 20-minute series of clips from the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie. Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) has returned to Eternia, and he finds himself facing off with Trap-Jaw (Sam C. Wilson). Adam is trying to use some of the skills he learned back on Earth to mediate the tense situation, but the villain isn’t having any of it. He starts to beat the crap out of him when Teela (Camila Mendes) screams, “Use the sword!”

Yup. It was about to happen. The ultimate Masters of the Universe moment. A moment that, if handled incorrectly, could put a damper on everything around it. Adam touches the sword strapped to his back, and the second he touches it, he has a vision. It’s the Sorceress, played by Morena Baccarin. “Say the phrase,” the vision says to him, floating in the sky. Adam wasn’t expecting to see that and is a little shook by it. The vision returns. “By the power of Grayskull…” she says, trying to help.

And so Adam pulls out the sword and points it to the sky. “By the power of Grayskull,” he begins as the clouds above start to swirl. Lightning begins to crackle. It’s about to happen. “I have the power,” he then screams. Adam rises into the air. His clothes disappear, and his muscles start to build. Armor forms around him as the camera circles around in slow motion. Finally, he comes back to the ground, forever changed. He’s He-Man. And, right then, we get a POV shot of Adam looking at his abs. Yup. He’s changed, all right.

There’s more to the scene too, including a ton of action, but director Travis Knight handles the moment with absolute sincerity. He pushes it to the very edge of plausibility and fantasy and then acknowledges it for just a second. He knows this is wild. He knows it’s silly. But also, he doesn’t care. This is a freaking He-Man movie, and even though I’ve always been more of a tangential He-Man fan, watching this scene gave me chills. It’s that good.

That tone is apparent throughout the rest of the footage screened at the CinemaCon adjacent event, too. We saw Skeletor’s armies storming Eternos as King Randor, Queen Marlena, Prince Adam, and—yes—even Princess Adora try to escape. Ram-Man, Fisto, and Mekaneck are among the heroes fighting for them. Man at Arms (Idris Elba) promises to help the royals escape, kicking all sorts of ass on the way to the exit. That is, until he finds himself opposite Lock-Jaw and loses.

In this version of Masters of the Universe, the film begins with Skeletor (Jared Leto) actually winning. That’s why Prince Adam is sent away to Earth, to keep him safe. We even saw Skeletor’s speech to King Randor as the rest of the family escapes. He’s evil and weird, and it ends with a very awkward moment that feels perfectly Skeletor.

Basically, the footage was a very encouraging tease that Knight has found the balance to acknowledge the inherent weirdness of He-Man, with all the crazy creatures, rules, magic, muscles, and more, while also taking it seriously enough to make you feel for the characters. We can’t wait to see the rest.

Masters of the Universe opens on June 5.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#HeMan #Transformation #Masters #Universe #Gave #ChillsCinemaCon,Masters of the Universe,Travis Knight

The Best ‘Knives Out’ Universe Performances, Definitively Ranked

Person of Interest Detained in Brown University Shooting that Killed 2 and Wounded 9

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Key Specifications of Vivo X300 Ultra

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Expected Price and Market Positioning

Key Specifications of Vivo X300 Ultra

India Launch Timeline and Availability

Expected Price and Market Positioning

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