Shows
EquityIntroducing TechCrunch's new podcast: Build ModeTechCrunch has new podcast! Build Mode brings you candid startup wisdom from the people who build, break, and build again. Build Mode is hosted by our very own Startup Battlefield Editor, Isabelle Johannessen who is joined by founders, investors, and operators to dig into the uncomfortable truths about startup life. Think cap table drama, co-founder breakups, and pivot panic.We're sharing their first episode with Forethought AI co-founder, Deon Nicholas as a weekend bonus to your feed. He shares how he built a company that puts customers (not hype) at the center and unpacks his “7-Failure Rule,” the early expe...
2025-11-1546 min
Build ModeBuilding digital infrastructure for developing countries with Nasrat Khalid from AseelOn today’s episode, host Becca Szkutak is joined by our old friend Darrell Etherington to talk with Nasrat Khalid of Aseel. Aseel started as an ecommerce company making it possible for local artisans in Afghanistan to sell to customers across the world and has evolved into working in humanitarian aid delivering emergency food supplies to people in need in Afghanistan and Turkey.They talk about:
How Aseel built a digital infrastructure that made it possible for artisans to sell to customers all over the world
How the company shifted from ecommerce to humanitarian aid when Af...
2023-11-0747 minBuild ModeWhat not to do when getting your grocery startup off the ground with Abhi Ramesh from Misfits MarketLaunching an e-commerce startup in the grocery space is no small task. On today’s episode Becca and Dom are joined by Abhi Ramesh, the CEO and founder of Misfits Market, a grocery startup that sells surplus and unwanted produce directly to consumers who don’t mind funny-looking foods. They talk about how he started the company in his apartment handling every aspect from personally buying the unwanted produce from the farms, to storing the food, to packaging and shipping, all while running the website and trying to fundraise. He racked up six-figure credit card debt to fund the logi...
2023-10-3142 minBuild ModeAdapting to the climate crisis with Jonas Torland from 7AnalyticsWelcome back to Found, TechCrunch’s podcast that brings you the stories behind the startups. This week our hosts Becca Szkutak and Dom-Madori Davis talk with Jonas Torland from 7Analytics, a Norwegian company that has built a data platform that powers tools and products for sustainable risk management. Their models predict the water paths of floods which allow them to predict and map the damage.They got into:
How to balance responsibilities between four founders
The difference between mitigation and adaptation startups and why it’s harder to raise in the adaptation space
The challenges and oppo...
2023-10-2442 minBuild ModeAI-driven gaming with Hilary Mason from Hidden DoorThis week we’re bringing you a conversation with Hilary Mason from Hidden Door, an AI-driven narrative game engine. This mini-episode recorded in person at TechCrunch Disrupt and Dom and Hilary get into how generative AI is changing online gaming, building a team of creatives, and fundraising in the gaming space. Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcasts: Equity, and Chain Reaction.Connect with us:
On Twitter
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Via email: found@techcrunch.com
2023-10-1714 min
EquitySBF's trial has started, and here's what you missed (Equity x Chain Reaction crossover)This time, we teamed up with the Chain Reaction podcast and Jacquelyn Melinek to talk about the ongoing trial of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, also known as SBF.The rise of FTX and its later implosion rocked the crypto world when the formerly massive crypto exchange went under last year. In the aftermath, the company's executives have been charged with financial crimes. Many have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with the government. SBF is not.Here's TechCrunch's reporting on the trial thus far that we went over on the show:
SBF’s trial has...
2023-10-0533 minEquityEquity Monday: Where fintech is strongest as SBF heads to courtWelcome to Q4 2023, the period in which we are all going to pretend to have gotten enough done this year.Here’s what we got into on the show today:
Stocks are mixed around the world while crypto tokens are enjoying a nice price-upswing in recent days.
A recent article argues that Apple has all the ingredients it needs to build a search engine to take on Google and Microsoft. At issue? The fact that Apple makes so much money not having a search engine. For startups, more competition here could be good.
EU telcos want to...
2023-10-0209 minBuild ModeLive from TechCrunch Disrupt with cybersecurity trailblazer Window Snyder from Thistle TechnologiesThe Found team recorded this episode live from TechCrunch Disrupt. Dom and Becca sat down with Window Snyder, a trailblazer in the cybersecurity industry who has dedicated her decades-long career to ensuring the internet and our devices are secure. Snyder talked about why after years of working at companies like Apple, Microsoft, Fastly, and Square now was the right time to launch her startup, Thistle, which looks to build the security infrastructure needed to keep internet-connected smart devices safe.They also covered:
The way her mother’s career as a programmer inspired her to learn how to code...
2023-09-2621 minEquityEquity Live: Self-flying helicopters, AI and the battle of the featuresWe were live at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023! Yes, even though our dear friend and colleague Mary Ann had to handle a family emergency, the larger Equity family rallied to put on a rollicking early-morning show at the venue. From the Builders' stage where Alex had to introduce himself, Kirsten Korosec and Becca Szkutak rounded out our hosting crew and we had a blast.Here's the rundown:
Instacart went public! Finally, at last, at long last, Instacart is a public company. It priced at $30, the top-end of its raised range, and then went on to trade higher. More...
2023-09-2029 minEquityStartups that are Ramp-ing up, and startups that are full of sh**This is our Friday show, and we’re talking about the week’s biggest startup and tech news. Here's what Mary Ann, Alex and Kirsten Korosec got into:
Nvidia blew the doors off with its earnings report. We talked through some of the high-level numbers and marveled at the company's growth. TechCrunch has more on the matter here.
Ramp raises $300M: In this market, a multi-billion-dollar valuation is a win for a fintech, even if Ramp's new price tag is a bit lower than it was previously. So, while Ramp likely doesn't love that it raised a down-round, it do...
2023-08-2537 minBuild ModeEnabling equitable cancer prevention with Feyi Ayodele from CancerIQThis week’s episode is focused on Feyi Ayodele, the co-founder and CEO of CancerIQ, a precision health company designed for physicians to help their patients with monitoring cancer risk and prevention. Ayodele talked about she came up with the startup idea while hiking Mount Kilimanjaro with her mother. She also talked about how she approached fundraising as a former VC herself and what it was like selling CancerIQ to healthcare organizations and hospitals.Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out th...
2023-08-2245 minBuild ModeFifteen years in and still early to the industry with Marco Zappacosta from ThumbtackThis episode centers on Marco Zappacosta, the co-founder and CEO of Thumbtack, a startup that runs a marketplace for home services and beyond. Zappacosta talked about his unusual path to entrepreneurship which included almost getting a degree in neuroscience before deciding to start a company without having an existing idea. He also talked about growing Thumbtack through multiple market cycles and his mindset around leadership.Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcasts: Equity, The TechCrunch Podcast and...
2023-08-1542 minBuild ModeBringing VR to IRL classrooms with Anurupa Ganguly PrismsThis week’s episode focuses on Anurupa Ganguly, the founder at CEO at Prisms, a startup designing VR math curriculum for middle and high school students. Ganguly talked about how her time as a teacher in the Boston and New York City public school systems were early inspirations for the company. She also talked about what it has been like selling to schools and her take on company culture in relation to remote and hybrid work.Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Ch...
2023-08-0846 minBuild ModeEducating VCs on your lived experience with Rebecca Rosenberg from ReBokehThis episode focuses on ReBokeh, a startup that created an app that applies filters that allow people with low vision to see better. The founder and CEO Rebecca Rosenberg talked about how her own experience with having low vision inspired the product and what it was like building the startup as an undergrad when everything went remote in 2020. She also spoke about how the app will likely have multiple revenue streams and what it was like pitching the product to VCs who didn’t believe the disability Rebecca has even exists. Found posts every Friday. Sub...
2023-08-0142 minBuild ModeWhere data meets DEI with Mandy Price from KanarysThis week’s episode features a conversation with Mandy Price, the co-founder and CEO at Kanarys, a SaaS startup that helps companies tackle their diversity and inclusion problems with data. Mandy talked about why she started the company after a decade-long career as a lawyer. She also talked about why she didn’t want Kanarys to just be focused on hiring metrics, as many other DEI platforms are, and when the company decided to start building out its sales team after years of inbound interest.Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to p...
2023-07-2541 minBuild ModeWhat to do when customers say yes but VCs say no with Catherine Tabor from SparklyThis week’s episode features a conversation with Catherine Tabor, the founder and CEO of Sparkfly, a company that helps brands with marketing and customer engagement. Tabor talked about building a company fluid enough to adapt to changing technology trends over the last decade and how she was dismissed by venture capitalists despite landing notable customers. Plus, she talked about her leadership style and why she has a 1:1 meeting with every employee once a quarter.Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check ou...
2023-07-1840 minBuild ModeGrowing a startup banking alternative while the banking sky is falling with Immad Akhund from Mercury (Equity Interview)As a founder, you’ve got to be ready for anything, but nothing could have prepared Mercury CEO and founder Immad Akhund for the rapid growth his company experienced after the SVB bank crisis. We’re mixing it up this week and sharing an interview from our sister podcast, Equity. TechCrunch fintech reporter Mary Ann Azevedo talks with Akhund about how they onboarded a record number of startup customers and helped guide their current users through the SVB bank crash, how he thinks about fundraising and investing during this downturn, and how he thinks about standing out against competitors like...
2023-07-1130 minBuild ModeFarmers use tech too with Charles Baron from Farmers Business NetworkThis week’s episode features Charles Baron, the co-founder and CMO at Farmers Business Network (FBN), a startup that offers a suite of online services to farmers. Baron talked about what led him — a former venture capitalist — to want to build in the agtech space. He talked about why the company chose to expand into multiple verticals quickly and how big of a need there was for what FBN offers.Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcasts: Equity...
2023-07-0445 minBuild ModeStill, sparkling, or made from the air? with Reuben Vollmer and Tyler Breton from SpoutOn today’s episode, we hear from the founders of Spout, a startup that makes a device that can pull fresh drinking water out of the air. Co-founder Reuben Vollmer talked about trying and failing to get the company off the ground for years before meeting his co-founder Tyler Breton. Both talked about how important getting the design of the product right is and how big of a need there is for a product like Spout.Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Ch...
2023-06-2747 minEquityDropbox hearts AI, the creator-platform wars and why we’re bullish on fake boozeMary Ann and Alex are back, and once again this week they tapped the TechCrunch roster for expert input. This week were lucky enough to have Kirsten Korosec back on the podcast. She's TechCrunch's mobility lead, hosts a podcast of her own, and is one of our favorite humans.Here's the rundown:
Deals of the Week: Mary Ann wanted to talk about Robinhood buying X1, a deal that seemed inexpensive but we lack enough numbers for full confidence; Alex wanted to riff on Dropbox's new AI fund, even if it does feel a little small; and Ki...
2023-06-2333 minBuild ModeBuilding a map of the U.S. healthcare system with Web Sun from Komodo HealthThis week’s episode features Web Sun, the co-founder and president of Komodo Health, a startup that uses data to create a comprehensive map of the U.S. healthcare system. Web talked about what drove him to entrepreneurship and how mutual friends introduced him to his co-founder thinking they’d get along — little did they know. He also talked about navigating fundraising during the bull market and layoffs. Plus, Becca and Dom talk about their remaining questions after the interview. Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when ne...
2023-06-2043 minBuild ModeMitigating AI biases in healthcare with Amy Brown from AuthenticxThis week we hear from Amy Brown, the co-founder and CEO of Authenticx, a Midwestern startup that helps insurance companies and medical organizations extract data from their call centers using AI. Amy told Becca and Dom about how her background working in the same call centers inspired her to foray into entrepreneurship. She also talked about the sacrifices and very human side of being an entrepreneur and how they were very intentional when building their AI model.Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes...
2023-06-1341 minBuild ModeCuring physician burnout with Eli Ben-Joseph from RegardOn this week's episode, Dom and Becca are joined by Eli Ben-Joseph, the co-founder and CEO of Regard, a startup that uses AI to streamline the clinical side of medicine that's hoping to reduce physician burnout. Eli talked about his journey from deciding to forgo attending medical school because of the very issue he then decided to build a company to fix years later. He also talked about why it was important for them to build an AI model that requires a human touch and what it is like to sell to hospitals. Subscribe to Found to h...
2023-06-0643 minBuild ModeThe academic to founder pipeline with Dr. Stacy Blain from Concarlo TherapeuticsOn today’s episode, Becca and Dom chat with Dr. Stacy Blain, the co-founder and chief science officer at Concarlo Therapeutics. Blain talked about how she had been researching how to cure drug-resistant cancers before she accidentally found her way into entrepreneurship after her academic grants started getting denied. She also talked about why scientists make great founders and how the importance of the company’s mission is not lost on herSubscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each week.Connect with us:On TwitterOn InstagramVia emai...
2023-05-3045 minBuild ModeDigital Nomads need insurance too with Sarah Sandnes from SafetyWingThis week, Becca and Dom are joined by Sarah Sandnes, the co-founder and CTO of SafetyWing, which is creating a global safety net for remote workers. Sandnes is a digital nomad herself, so she understands the frustrations of frequently crossing borders and how difficult it can be to find affordable and high-quality health insurance as an employee. She also talked about how she and her co-founders have built a fully remote company that spans almost the entire globe -- because even digital nomads deal with time-zone frustrations.Found posts every Friday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever...
2023-05-2340 minBuild ModeMotherhood, mentorship, and management with Kamakshi Sivaramakrishnan from SamoohaThis week Becca and Dom are joined by Kamakshi Sivaramakrishnan, the co-founder and CEO at Samooha, a startup creating the infrastructure needed for data collaboration. Kamakshi talked about what it is like being a repeat founder in a male-dominated technical field. She talked about juggling being a parent and a company leader and how she thinks being a mother makes her a better entrepreneur. Plus, she talked about what may be the wildest startup acquisition story we’ve heard yet.Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each week.Connect with us:
On...
2023-05-1642 minEquityVenture-backed everything for real world problems, pleaseThis week Mary Ann, Natasha and Alex celebrated one final episode as a three, and here's what we got into:
Deals of the Week: Alex wanted to talk about the slowing of growth amongst tech companies, Natasha had notes on a brace of new Mayfield funds, while Mary Ann brought Wellthy to the table.
Next we discussed pessimism in fintech, if it is near its peak, and how companies like Petal are still forging ahead regardless of market chop.
From there we dug into AI, how it will impact certain creative work, and what it could mean for tech...
2023-05-1241 minEquityThe outside advantage that your investor may be interested inThis week, Natasha Mascarenhas interviewed Sam Chaudhary, the founder of ClassDojo, and Chris Farmer, the founder and CEO of SignalFire, a venture firm that recently announced a $900 million fund to back tech startups. This interview is structured a bit differently as it was actually recorded as a TechCrunch Live session, our weekly show that focuses on helping people start better venture backed businesses.We'll hear from the trio about:
What an outsider advantage looks like in startups, per a top investor
Why ClassDojo doesn’t see itself as an edtech company
How Sam landed early traction wi...
2023-05-0330 minBuild ModeFilling in the learning disability assessment gaps with Stefan Bauer from Marker LearningGetting diagnosed with a learning disability or attention disorder is crucial to getting students the support they need to be successful in the classroom, however, the assessments are extremely cost and time prohibitive. This week on Found Darrell and Becca are talking with Stefan Bauer about how Marker Learning is cutting the cost of learning disability assessments by conducting them remotely, how they’ve successfully worked with school districts to help them test their required amount of students, and the potential to take Marker Learning into the prison system to assess incarcerated people and provide them with tools to le...
2023-05-0244 minBuild ModeFound Live: Shifting from founder to VC with Russ Wilcox from E Ink and Pillar VCWe’re coming at you live from TechCrunch’s Early Stage in Boston. Darrell and Becca are joined onstage by Russ Wilcox who founded E Ink and is currently a partner at Pillar VC. They discussed how Russ navigated multiple economic downturns and eventually sold E Ink to Amazon, why he made the change from Founder to VC, and how he can usually tell within the first two minutes of a meeting if he will invest. Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each week.Connect with us:
On Twitter
On Instagram
Via e...
2023-04-2531 minEquityEarly Stage 2023: IRL is B-A-C-KThis week we recorded at Early Stage, TechCrunch's event for founders who are building startups from the ground up.Sadly, our dear friend Natasha Mascarenhas took ill, and we had to lean on Alex for the episode. Happily, though, Darrell from the TechCrunch team was sitting next to us on the show floor so we tagged him in for some rocket knowledge.Anyhoo, here's the run of show!
All things Early Stage: Notes from the show floor, what we can infer about attendance and a vibe check.
Elon's new, larger rocket went up (very...
2023-04-2108 minBuild ModeCuring disease with CRISPR with Trevor Martin from Mammoth BiosciencesWelcome back to Found, the TechCrunch podcast where you hear the stories behind the startups from the entrepreneurs themselves. In this week’s episode, Trevor Martin co-founder of Mammoth Biosciences comes on to discuss how the company is using CRISPR systems to detect and cure genetic diseases. He talks with Darrell and Becca about using the importance of transparency when creating innovative medical technology, using CRISPR to build therapies that will help patients in the real world, and what funding looks like for a company that has a long road to profitability.Subscribe to Found to hear mo...
2023-04-1844 minBuild ModeGetting people to try new things IRL with Sarah Peterson from The NudgeThis week Becca is joined by special guest co-host TechCrunch reporter Amanda Silberling to talk with Sarah Peterson, COO and co-founder ofTthe Nudge which is a text-based app that helps you make the best plan in your city. They get into the benefits of a sibling/co-founder relations, how to build trust with a user, and why everyone needs that planner friend in the friend group. Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each week.Connect with us:
On Twitter
On Instagram
Via email: found@techcrunch.com
Found posts e...
2023-04-0446 min
The TechCrunch Live PodcastAI innovation for in vitro fertilization with Root Ventures and Oma FertilityToday's interview was led by Neesha Tambe, TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield editor who’s also largely responsible for the hundreds of startups pitching and exhibiting at TechCrunch Disrupt. But she’s here today because of her personal experience with I-V-F. Neesha spoke with Oma Robotics o-founder Kiran Joshi and Root Ventures Partner Chrissy Meyer. Unlike many other fertility providers, Oma focuses on male infertility, and today we’re going to hear about a few things: Oma Fertility's experience building a company in healthcare during a global pandemicHow Root made the jump to virtual-first investments, which is now the new no...
2023-04-0334 min
Chain ReactionAvalanche wants to digitize all assets on the blockchain (w/ Emin Gün Sirer)Welcome to Chain Reaction. A show that unpacks and dives deep into the latest trends, drama and news with some of the biggest names in crypto breaking things down block by block for the crypto curious. For this week’s episode, Jacquelyn interviewed Emin Gün Sirer, the founder and CEO of Ava Labs. Ava Labs created the layer-1 blockchain Avalanche, a platform that lets developers build Solidity-compatible multi-functional blockchains and dApps with a focus on speed and low transaction costs. Hundreds of projects are a part of the Avalanche ecosystem, ranging from decentralized exchanges like...
2023-03-2430 minBuild ModeHow Gen Z builds community with Teddy Solomon from FizzWelcome back to Found, the TechCrunch podcast where you hear the stories behind the startups from the entrepreneurs themselves. This week we’re talking to Teddy Solomon, the co-founder of Fizz, a social media app aimed at college students focusing on building community on campus. For this interview, we’re joined by TechCrunch social media expert, Amanda Silberling. Darrell, Amanda, and Teddy discuss what Gen Z is looking for in their social media, how to thoroughly moderate the platform, and how this kind of community building could go far beyond colleges.Subscribe to Found to hear more stor...
2023-03-1441 min
EquityBonus Episode: Say Hello to the Startup Battlefield Winner It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for—the winner is announced! In this episode, we get to know the winner of the 2022 Startup Battlefield competition. We’ll hear what’s next for their company and get insight from TechCrunch staff, VCs, and audience members on why they were the right choice.Be sure to check out all of the other podcasts in the TechCrunch Podcast Network: Found, Equity, The TechCrunch Podcast, Chain Reaction and The TechCrunch Live Podcast.
Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is o...
2023-03-0632 min
Build ModeBonus Episode: Say Hello to the Startup Battlefield WinnerIt’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for—the winner is announced! In this episode, we get to know the winner of the 2022 Startup Battlefield competition. We’ll hear what’s next for their company and get insight from TechCrunch staff, VCs, and audience members on why they were the right choice.Be sure to check out all of the other podcasts in the TechCrunch Podcast Network: Found, Equity, The TechCrunch Podcast, Chain Reaction and The TechCrunch Live Podcast..
Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen...
2023-03-0632 min
Chain ReactionBonus Episode: Say Hello to the Startup Battlefield WinnerIt’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for—the winner is announced! In this episode, we get to know the winner of the 2022 Startup Battlefield competition. We’ll hear what’s next for their company and get insight from TechCrunch staff, VCs, and audience members on why they were the right choice.Be sure to check out all of the other podcasts in the TechCrunch Podcast Network: Found, Equity, The TechCrunch Podcast, Chain Reaction and The TechCrunch Live Podcast.
Chain Reaction comes out every Thursday at 12:00 p.m. ET, so be sure to subscri...
2023-03-0632 minChain ReactionBonus Episode: Getting to know the Battlefield 200Inside Startup Battlefield is back in our feed with episode three. There are 180 companies solving crucial problems that didn’t make it to the Disrupt stage, but that doesn’t mean they’re making any less of an impact. TechCrunch writers Devin Coldewey and Harri Weber take us on a walk through the Expo Hall and let us listen into their conversations with a handful of the most interesting companies in the Battlefield 200.New episodes of Inside Startup Battlefield drop every Monday. Be sure to check out all of the other podcasts in the TechCrunch Podcast Network: Found...
2023-02-2714 min
EquityBonus Episode: Getting to know the Battlefield 200Inside Startup Battlefield is back in our feed with episode three. There are 180 companies solving crucial problems that didn’t make it to the Disrupt stage, but that doesn’t mean they’re making any less of an impact. TechCrunch writers Devin Coldewey and Harri Weber take us on a walk through the Expo Hall and let us listen into their conversations with a handful of the most interesting companies in the Battlefield 200.New episodes of Inside Startup Battlefield drop every Monday. Be sure to check out all of the other podcasts in the TechCrunch Podcast Network: Found...
2023-02-2714 min
Build ModeBonus Episode: Getting to know the Battlefield 200Inside Startup Battlefield is back in our feed with episode three. It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for—the winner is announced! In this episode, we get to know the winner of the 2022 Startup Battlefield competition. We’ll hear what’s next for their company and get insight from TechCrunch staff, VCs, and audience members on why they were the right choice.New episodes of Inside Startup Battlefield drop every Monday. Be sure to check out all of the other podcasts in the TechCrunch Podcast Network: Found, Equity, The TechCrunch Podcast, Chain Reaction and The TechCr...
2023-02-2714 minChain ReactionBonus Episode: Making the Pitch PerfectInside Startup Battlefield is back in our feed with episode two. In the second episode of Inside Startup Battlefield, we take a trip to TechCrunch Disrupt 2022 to hear pitches from the top five companies: Aaron Hall from Intropic Materials, Elizabeth Lawler from App Map, Chad Mason from Advanced Ionics, Sheeba Dawood from Minerva Lithium, Tim Lichti from Swap Robotics. We get to know the companies and the unique problems they’re solving through their pitches and the judges’ follow-up questions. Plus we hear from our host and Battlefield Editor, Neesha Tambe, about what working with each company was like.
2023-02-2031 min
Build ModeBonus Episode: Making the Pitch PerfectInside Startup Battlefield is back in our feed with episode two. In the second episode of Inside Startup Battlefield, we take a trip to TechCrunch Disrupt 2022 to hear pitches from the top five companies: Aaron Hall from Intropic Materials, Elizabeth Lawler from App Map, Chad Mason from Advanced Ionics, Sheeba Dawood from Minerva Lithium, Tim Lichti from Swap Robotics. We get to know the companies and the unique problems they’re solving through their pitches and the judges’ follow-up questions. Plus we hear from our host and Battlefield Editor, Neesha Tambe, about what working with each company was like.
2023-02-2031 min
EquityBonus Episode: Making the Pitch PerfectInside Startup Battlefield is back in our feed with episode two. In the second episode of Inside Startup Battlefield, we take a trip to TechCrunch Disrupt 2022 to hear pitches from the top five companies: Aaron Hall from Intropic Materials, Elizabeth Lawler from App Map, Chad Mason from Advanced Ionics, Sheeba Dawood from Minerva Lithium, Tim Lichti from Swap Robotics. We get to know the companies and the unique problems they’re solving through their pitches and the judges’ follow-up questions. Plus we hear from our host and Battlefield Editor, Neesha Tambe, about what working with each company was like.
2023-02-2031 min
Build ModeBonus Episode: The Startup Battlefield BasicsCheck out the newest podcast from the TechCrunch Podcast Network: Inside Startup Battlefield, the four-part series that takes you behind TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield competition. In this episode, our host and Startup Battlefield Editor Neesha Tambe breaks down how the Battlefield companies are selected for the TechCrunch Disrupt stage. Then we take a deep dive into what makes a pitch perfect with pitch coach and TechCrunch writer Haje Jan Kamps and Startup Battlefield judge and VC Nisha Dua. You’ll also hear from: Julia Somerdin from Labby, Young-Jae Kim and Tara Peters from Anthill, Quddus Pativada from Digest AI, Bles...
2023-02-1331 min
Chain ReactionBonus Episode: The Startup Battlefield BasicsCheck out the newest podcast from the TechCrunch Podcast Network: Inside Startup Battlefield, the four-part series that takes you behind TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield competition. In this episode, our host and Startup Battlefield Editor Neesha Tambe breaks down how the Battlefield companies are selected for the TechCrunch Disrupt stage. Then we take a deep dive into what makes a pitch perfect with pitch coach and TechCrunch writer Haje Jan Kamps and Startup Battlefield judge and VC Nisha Dua. You’ll also hear from: Julia Somerdin from Labby, Young-Jae Kim and Tara Peters from Anthill, Quddus Pativada from Digest AI, Bles...
2023-02-1331 min
EquityBonus Episode: The Startup Battlefield BasicsCheck out the newest podcast from the TechCrunch Podcast Network: Inside Startup Battlefield, the four-part series that takes you behind TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield competition. In this episode, our host and Startup Battlefield Editor Neesha Tambe breaks down how the Battlefield companies are selected for the TechCrunch Disrupt stage. Then we take a deep dive into what makes a pitch perfect with pitch coach and TechCrunch writer Haje Jan Kamps and Startup Battlefield judge and VC Nisha Dua. You’ll also hear from: Julia Somerdin from Labby, Young-Jae Kim and Tara Peters from Anthill, Quddus Pativada from Digest AI, Bles...
2023-02-1331 minThe TechCrunch Live PodcastThe TechCrunch Live Podcast TeaserThe TechCrunch Live Podcast is back for season 2 on February 6! Matt Burns sits down with experienced entrepreneurs and investors -- including market leaders from Benchmark, Sequoia, Index and Kleiner Perkins -- to help founders build better venture-backed businesses. First up, we're talking to: Benchmark's Sarah Tavel and Cambly's Sameer Shariff. Register here to join us live!Cube's Christina Ross and Mayfield's Rajeev Batra. Register here to join us live!The TechCrunch Live Podcast airs Mondays at 12 PT, wherever you get your podcasts. Want to join us live? TechCrunch Live streams on YouTube, Facebook, and Hopin We...
2023-01-2300 minBuild ModeSolving the looming lithium shortage with Sheeba Dawood from Minerva LithiumThis week we’re mixing it up on Found and welcoming special guest cohost, Neesha Tambe, the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Editor. And we happen to be talking with Sheeba Dawood, the co-founder and CEO of Minerva Lithium—the 2022 Startup Battlefield winner. Minerva Lithium is a clean energy technology that has developed a Nano Mosaic membrane filter system for critical materials extraction from non-traditional water resources. In this conversation, Sheeba speaks candidly about the struggles she’s faced as a woman of color trying to innovate in the mineral manufacturing industry and what’s next for the company coming off of sever...
2023-01-1052 minEquitySpecial episode: How to pitch a Series A (TechCrunch Live Podcast)This week, the Equity team is spotlighting one of our sister podcasts: TechCrunch Live. Matt Burns hopped on the mic with Jenny Lefcourt from Freestyle Partners and Guillaume de Zwirek, CEO and co-founder of WELL Health, to talk all about raising a Series A and specific steps for founders to follow.As you’ll hear from Lefourt and de Zwirek, there are notable differences between raising a seed round and a Series A round. Investors look at different aspects of the company, and the founder must prepare for the fundraising differently. Rather than selling a story, they’re se...
2022-12-2354 minEquitySpecial episode: SBF doesn't need SPF where he's going and other TC news (The TechCrunch Podcast)Darrell talked with Tim De Chant about his coverage of fusion energy and what feels like a rare hopeful story in renewable energy tech. And Jacquelyn Melinek walks us through Sam Bankman-Fried’s alleged crimes and confirmed arrest. Plus he goes over the top stories in tech from the week. And as always, Darrell breaks down the biggest stories in tech.Articles from the episode:
World-record fusion experiment produced even more energy than expected
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has been arrested in the Bahamas
US attorney says ‘we are not done’ charging individuals for FTX collapse
Other...
2022-12-1928 minEquitySpecial episode: AI art? More like AI fart and other TC news (The TechCrunch Podcast)Hey, Equity family! While we're off preparing more end-of-year special episodes for you, we wanted to share an episode from our sister pod: The TechCrunch Podcast.This week Darrell Etherington talks with Taylor Hatmaker on to talk about Lensa AI and the possible ramifications for artists. Then we’ll hear from some attendees at the TC sessions: Space event And as always, Darrell breaks down the biggest stories in tech.Articles from the episode:
Lensa AI, the app making ‘magic avatars,’ raises red flags for artists
UPDATED: It’s way too easy to trick Lensa AI...
2022-12-1231 minBuild ModeTennis-star-turned-star-investor with Serena Williams from Serena VenturesAt last month’s TechCrunch Disrupt, Jordan sat down with Serena Williams and her co-founder Alison Rapaport Stillman to talk about their investment firm, Serena Ventures. The conversation was so interesting, we couldn’t help but share it on the Found feed. Serena, Allison, and Jordan talk about her approach to startup investing, how competitive she is both on and off the court, and how the French Open distracted her from the missed investment she regrets the most. And she shares how you can still expect to see her play tennis—if you’re able to snag an invite to come...
2022-11-0130 minEquityElon Musk and Twitter Close Deal: Hot Takes (Bonus Episode)It's official - Elon Musk has sealed the deal on Twitter, and we're bringing you a bonus episode to talk through it all. In case you missed it, Alex took to Twitter Spaces on Friday with Darrell Etherington, Amanda Silberling, Anita Ramaswamy, and Taylor Hatmaker to process some of what’s gone down, and what comes next on a special joint Equity/TechCrunch Podcast episode, so have a listen and be sure to read all about the Elon era at Twitter on TechCrunch.We'll talk to you again on Wednesday!Equity drops at 7 a.m. PT...
2022-10-3133 minEquityWell, that was Fast: Equity Live at TechCrunch DisruptHello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. And for the first time in the history of the show, the TechCrunch pod that opened up Disrupt on the big stage. Alex, Natasha and Mary Ann got to be together to record in person for the first-time ever, and it went exactly as wild as you thought it would (we forgot this is what make up feels like!).We started with a deal of the week, which, in typical Equity style, had to b...
2022-10-1929 minBuild ModeMaking robots that make robots to take over the world with Scott Gravelle from AttatboticsThis week Darrell and Jordan talk with Scott Gravelle, the CEO and co-founder of Attabotics, a robotics company that specializes in distribution and supply chain. Scott talks about how he was inspired by the Cutter Ants to design a vertical warehouse and create an automated system that was not human-centric but instead functioned as a world that was great for robots. They also spoke about caring for mental health as a founder and developing new leadership skills for a virtual world. If you love live conversations with founders, you'll love TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco from October 18-2...
2022-10-1152 minEquityWhat's next for creator-focused startups now that the venture boom is over?Hello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines.This is our Wednesday show, where we niche down to a single topic, think about a question and unpack the rest. This week, Alex asked: How are platforms responding to the new creator landscape? (Don't worry, the Wednesday show is still Natasha's to lead, she was just a little under the weather this week!)Happily, Alex was not running solo, as TechCrunch's own Amanda Silberling was with the show this week -- n...
2022-10-0522 minBuild ModeDelivering remote abortion care with Kiki Freedman from Hey Jane (Re-Release)This time last year, we talked with Kiki Freedman the founder of Hey Jane, a virtual health care startup aimed at women with an initial focus on delivering remote abortion care. After the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe V. Wade, access to abortion is in a more precarious position than ever. Listen back to how Hey Jane provides access to consultations with doctors, available 24 hours a day, and home delivery for FDA-approved abortion pills. And Freedman tells us about how her experience at Uber informed her founder mentality at Hey Jane, and how the startup hopes to...
2022-10-0442 minEquityWelcome to Q4, crypto fans and Tesla stansHello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines.Don’t forget that the code “EQUITY” can save you money on Disrupt tickets and TechCrunch+ access. And it makes us here on the show look good!
Markets: Stocks are largely down around the world, yet set to rise here on American exchanges. Perhaps the domestic selloff is pausing? Elsewhere in the world of money, cryptocurrencies are boring in the last week.
Startups: Big news from TikTok, including notes on how quickly it has been ad...
2022-10-0308 minEquityWe’re all just a Hop, Skip and a Drive away from a better HustleHello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. Before we get into this week's show notes, some programming notes:
First up, use code “EQUITY” for a special listener discount for Disrupt tickets. We’re less than one month away!
We also have a special for those impacted by layoffs. If you were laid off, go here to get a free ticket to TechCrunch Disrupt’s Expo.
Ok, now to the show. This week, Natasha, Mary Ann and Rebecca took the mic, with Theresa on...
2022-09-3039 minBuild ModeBuilding the great pyramid of hybrid work with Phil Libin from mmhmmWhen Phil Libin co-founded Evernote he spent tons of money making the perfect working environment with chic offices, a shuttle bus, and headphones to block out all of his employees' distracting co-workers. He’s since seen the work-from-home light and co-founded mmhmm to make working remotely more efficient and even more fun. In this episode, Phil breaks down his pyramid of communication, explains how embracing asynchronous videos changed everything about meetings at mmhmm, and why he will never go to work in the metaverse. If you love live conversations with founders, you'll love TechCrunch Disrupt in San Fra...
2022-09-2754 minBuild ModeHow do you build a company towards a $20B exit? with Dylan Field from FigmaWe spoke to Figma founder and CEO Dylan Field earlier this year, and while we didn’t know at the time that the startup would be entering into a deal to be acquired by Adobe for north of $20 billion, the lessons that Field shared around his journey building Figma and bringing on the right investors are definitely extra resonant now that the acquisition has been announced. Please enjoy this ‘greatest hit’ in light of the news!If you love live conversations with founders, you'll love TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco from October 18-20. Use code FOUND for 15% off you...
2022-09-1549 minBuild ModeExpanding the boundaries of health care with Kelsey Mellard from SitkaWe talk to a lot of healthtech founders on this show because there are countless ways the healthcare system, particularly in the US, needs to be disrupted. This week, we talked to Kelsey Mellard who founded Sitka with the goal of implementing value-based care and helping primary care physicians make more thoughtful referrals to specialists. She talks with Darrell and Jordan about playing the long game to change how people receive care in the US and incentivize providers to give high-quality care instead of a high volume of care. If you love live conversations with founders, you'll l...
2022-09-1354 minThe TechCrunch Live PodcastOne market is easy, scaling to a hundred is hard (obviously)TechCrunch Live took a virtual trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota for this week's event. And it was a great trip!This event is extra long, and includes conversations with some of the best founders and investors from the region. Following the panels and interviews, three Minneapolis startups competed for free tickets to TechCrunch Disrupt.I love the first panel. It's a conversation with Andrew Leone, CEO and Founder of Dispatch, a last mile delivery platform that started with a couple guys and some box trucks. Since then the company shifted to a SaaS model and is...
2022-09-082h 07Build ModeFound Live: From Selling Sunset to crypto real estate with Christine Quinn and Christian DumontetThis week on Found Live Darrell and special guest host, Anita Ramaswamy, talk to Christine Quinn who you probably know from Selling Sunset and her husband Christian Dumontet about their new company RealOpen. The couple talks about why buying a home using crypto is the real estate of the future, how to balance being co-founders, and parents, and maintain their relationship, and yes Christine talks a bit about her time on Selling Sunset. To hear more from Anita, listen to TechCrunch's Chain Reaction. If you love live conversations with founders, you'll love TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco f...
2022-09-0639 minChain ReactionThe man behind Terra’s not-so-stablecoin is backWelcome back. This week, Jacquelyn and Anita ran the show while Lucas was out. We recapped a must-watch interview by Coinage with Do Kwon, the now-infamous founder of Terraform Labs whose algorithmic stablecoin de-pegged from the U.S. dollar, sending the crypto markets into chaos. This was Kwon’s first interview since the coin’s collapse in May, which wiped out some $60 billion in value. Is he remorseful? Aren’t the authorities after him? We got into all those questions and more.We also discussed acquisition drama for the second week in a row, this time between Galaxy...
2022-08-1820 minThe TechCrunch Live PodcastSell the vision, not the businessNo one likes compliance training, but Ethena aims to improve the experience for everyone involved. Join Ethena’s CEO and co-founder, Roxanne Petraeus, and Homebrew’s Hunter Walk on this TechCrunch Live event to hear the strategies used to tackle and grow in underserved market segments.As you'll hear in the event, Roxanne Petraeus founded Ethena after the realization that compliance training hasn't evolved to meet the modern workplace. Instead of forcing employees to watch hour-long videos, Petraeus's company presents employees with bite-sized, quick takes that when completed in series, achieves the same compliance goal. Durin...
2022-08-1855 minChain ReactionTornado Cash is not just for criminals, despite what regulators thinkWelcome back. This week, Jacquelyn and Anita ran the show while Lucas was off on vacation. We got up to speed on the U.S. government’s crackdown on cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash because of its role in facilitating money laundering. While it’s true that hackers have long used Tornado to fuel illicit activity, we tried to answer some bigger questions: what is a mixer in the first place, and what exactly would someone use one for if not crime?This week’s episode comes just after Coinbase announced its long-awaited, ultimately disappointing second-quarter results, so we ran...
2022-08-1121 minChain ReactionHow Uniswap became DeFi’s behemoth (w/ MC Lader)Welcome back, this week Anita and Lucas interviewed MC Lader, COO of Uniswap Labs, the entity managing the world’s largest decentralized crypto exchange. A former managing director at asset management firm BlackRock, Lader explained how her management team oversees a fully decentralized protocol and shared her thoughts on the exchange’s future path to profitability.Subscribe to the Chain Reaction newsletter to dive deeper: https://techcrunch.com/newslettersHelpful links:https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/21/uniswap-acquires-nft-marketplace-aggregator-genie/https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/15/uniswap-labs-coo-says-mainstream-crypto-adoption-hinges-on-accessibility-and-ease/https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/11/defi-giant-uniswap-launches-venture-arm-to-invest-in-other-crypto-companies/
Chain Reaction comes out every Thursday at 1...
2022-08-0921 minChain ReactionHackers are stealing crypto in the nicest way possibleWelcome back, this week Lucas and Anita welcome Jacquelyn Melinek as a new permanent co-host on Chain Reaction. They dove into the hot crypto topics of the week, including the $190 million draining of the Nomad bridge by both ‘black-hat’ and ‘white-hat’ hackers. They also discussed the widespread Solana wallet attack and a particularly deep round of layoffs at Robinhood.You’ll notice something different about the show this week besides a new co-host -- we’re splitting up the news analysis and interview segment into different episodes! On Tuesdays you’ll hear us sit down with experts in the crypto...
2022-08-0422 minChain ReactionThe SEC preps for a summer of crypto regulation (w/ David Nage)Welcome back, this week Lucas and Anita dive into a conversation around Coinbase’s legal woes and the insider trading scandal surrounding an employee at the firm. We also discussed Elon Musk’s bitcoin sale and Minecraft’s ban of NFTs from its platform. In their interview this week, Anita and Lucas interviewed David Nage. Nage is a portfolio manager at Arca where he makes early-stage bets on crypto startups. We talked about finding hot opportunities in seed stage crypto and then broke into a wide-ranging conversation on crypto regulation and what comes next. ...
2022-07-2848 minChain ReactionCrypto winters, DAO death and the future of community investing (w/ Alexander Taub)Welcome back, this week Lucas and Anita dive into a conversation around OpenSea’s significant layoffs, how Binance is taking on Coinbase in a stateside battle royale and why the Bored Apes creators are trying to outdo Meta with their own metaverse.In their interview this week, Lucas and Anita chat with Alexander Taub. Taub is the founder of DAO tooling startup Upstream which lets people spin up their own decentralized governance organizations. DAOs were the space to be this year, but how many of them will stick around through a crypto winter?Subscribe to th...
2022-07-2149 minThe TechCrunch Live PodcastiRobot CEO talks, what else, robotsColin Angle is the CEO and a co-founder of iRobots, and ahead of TechCrunch's robotics event, he joined TechCrunch editor Brian Heater on a special Twitter Spaces. The conversation is great, and over the hour-long talk, tells a lot of never-before-heard stories of the early days of iRobot.On July 21, 2022, TechCrunch is hosting an all-day, virtual events featuring the top robotics startups, researchers and leaders. Find all the coverage here. https://techcrunch.com/events/tc-sessions-robotics-2022/Watch all the interviews here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHRxVckaE8dYEEL-1yN7gnK8V5IzjBfep
2022-07-2151 minChain ReactionIdentifying lasting web3 trends from crypto’s bull run (w/ Naveen Jain)Welcome back, this week Lucas and Anita return to discuss the ultimate meme investing crossover episode with GameStop launching an NFT marketplace. We also break down this week’s latest drama with the liquidation of crypto hedge fund 3 Arrows Capital. It wasn’t all doom and gloom as we discussed some of the new crypto funds injecting fresh capital into the space. In their interview this week, Lucas and Anita chat with Naveen Jain. Naveen is the founder of web3 startup Yat which lets people buy their own emoji URL. The marketplace saw some wildly expen...
2022-07-1445 minChain ReactionWhy crypto’s “obsession” with mass adoption may not be worth it (w/ Tux Pacific)Welcome back. Lucas was out sick this week, so TC crypto reporter Jacquie Melinek subbed in as co-host to talk with Anita about the biggest stories in web3 this week. They discussed whether Sam Bankman-Fried is the savior crypto needs as more and more companies declare bankruptcy and unpacked the drama behind the fight for a U.S. Bitcoin spot ETF.In this week’s interview, Anita chatted with Tux Pacific, the founder and CEO of Entropy, a startup that just raised a $25 million seed round led by a16z for its decentralized crypto custody solution. Pacific, on...
2022-07-0749 minChain ReactionDoodles CEO on expanding their cartoon NFT empire (w/ Julian Holguin)Welcome back, this week Anita was off on vacation so Lucas was joined by TC crypto reporter Jacquie Melinek to discuss what happened in the crypto world this week. They dove into the topic of the Solana Saga phone, discussed FTX's alleged interest in buying up Robinhood, and chatted about some of the crypto financial firms that are currently in deep... trouble.In this week’s interview, Lucas chatted with Julian Holguin, the CEO of Doodles. Doodles is a very popular NFT project that has done just over $500 million in total sales volume. Holguin was previously a bi...
2022-06-3039 minThe TechCrunch Live PodcastForethought AI's CEO explains the pitch deck that won Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt 2018TechCrunch Live records weekly, live, each Wednesday at 3:00pm EDT / 12:00pm PDT. Forethought AI won Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt 2018. Since then, the company raised two rounds of funding and is now a leader in human-centric artificial intelligence. During this live event, Dean Nicholas, CEO and co-founder of Forethought, and Vanessa Larco, NEA partner and Forethought board observer, talked through the company's early days. The two talked in depth about how Forethought launched its AI-based service amid stiff competition and a booming tech industry. Nicholas shared the pitch deck that helped the company win Startup Ba...
2022-06-3059 minChain ReactionHow web3 creators can make the most of the crypto crash (with Latashá)Welcome back, this week Anita and Lucas discuss the $258 billion Dogecoin lawsuit facing Elon Musk, how crypto collectible lovers are partying through the pain at the NFT NYC event and how some DAOs are showing the dark side of digital democracy.In their interview this week, Lucas and Anita got the chance to talk with musician and visual artist Latashá. In addition to creating crypto art, Latashá is the Head of Community at NFT startup Zora which recently raised a big round of funding. We talked with her about how the downturn will impact crypto creators and wh...
2022-06-2344 minChain ReactionCrypto’s latest crash and where web3 falls short (with Aaron Levie)Welcome back, this week Anita and Lucas discuss another stressful week for crypto markets which has pushed even bullish investors into bearish territories. We also chatted about growing crypto regulation efforts and Jack Dorsey’s latest effort called “web5”.In their interview this week, Lucas and Anita chat with Aaron Levie. Levie is the CEO of enterprise software company Box. While his day job doesn’t have anything to do with the blockchain, he has attracted the ire of plenty of crypto VCs for sharing thoughts on Twitter about why web3 won’t work. We caught up with Levie...
2022-06-1641 minBuild ModeFounder Double FeatureThis week we talk to two founders who just came off stage from the TC Sessions: Mobility Pitch-Off. First up we have Eloa Guillotin the co-founder and CEO of Beyond Aero which is making long-range electric aircraft possible by using hydrogen-electric propulsion. Followed by Jim Gibbs, the co-founder and CEO of Meter Feeder which is on a mission to provide a low-cost payment and enforcement solution for small to mid-sized governments for parking through an API. The winner of the pitch-off won their spot in the TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield 200. For more information on that or to get y...
2022-06-1432 minChain ReactionOutdoor Voices’ founder on scaling a new crypto startup in a downturn (with Ty Haney)Welcome back, this week Lucas and Anita argue about Coinbase’s latest management strategies, whether Do Kwon being called the new Bernie Madoff is a fair comparison, and why the OnlyFans founder is the latest web2 entrepreneur pivoting to crypto.In their interview this week, Anita and Lucas chat with Ty Haney. Haney is the founder of athleisure empire Outdoor Voices, though she’s recently departed the company to start a new effort around getting brands to embrace NFTs. We chatted with her about founding a crypto startup in a downturn, keeping her company well-capitalized and how she...
2022-06-0235 minChain ReactionLux’s crypto VC on the startups securing and scaling web3 (with Grace Isford)Welcome back, this week Lucas and Anita dive into the latest mega-fund from venture giant Andreessen Horowitz and some of the… interesting bets that they’re making, including one in disgraced WeWork founder Adam Neumann’s new crypto startup. Lastly, they recap crypto exchange FTX’s big entry into stock trading, which comes just a week after the firm’s young CEO made a massive bet on Robinhood.In their interview this week, Lucas and Anita talk to Grace Isford. Isford is an investor at Lux Capital where she focuses on the infrastructure and security opportunities for blockchain...
2022-05-2637 minChain ReactionLightspeed’s web3 guru on consumer crypto startups and the metaverse (with Mercedes Bent)Welcome back, this week Lucas and Anita discuss the continued fallout from the broader market crash and how life is going for crypto giants on the public markets. We chat about FTX’s 30-year-old billionaire CEO buying up a big chunk of Robinhood, which is pumping the gas on crypto even as the market cools. We also discuss trouble at Coinbase and the continued fallout from the collapse of Terra. In their interview this week, Lucas and Anita chat with Mercedes Bent. Bent is a venture capitalist at Lightspeed Venture Partners where she places bets on...
2022-05-1940 minChain ReactionMoonbirds founder talks crypto crash and where NFTs go from here (with Kevin Rose)Welcome back, this week Lucas and Anita discuss turmoil and heartbreak in the crypto markets as Bitcoin and Ethereum get hit hard, a number of other popular tokens get crushed, and crypto-aligned public stocks like Coinbase and Robinhood see their share prices tank. What caused this bloodbath? Well, a major catalyst was the disastrous implosion of Terra’s Luna token as a result of ongoing stablecoin woes.In their interview this week, Lucas and Anita chat with Kevin Rose. Kevin is a serial entrepreneur who founded Digg in the early 2000s and is now an investor at Tr...
2022-05-1243 minEquityOk, this one is for the crypto-curiousThis is our Wednesday show, where we niche down to a single topic, think about a question and unpack the rest. This week, Natasha and Alex asked: What do the crypto-curious need to know to be more savvy about the space? Better than our question, though, was our company: we brought on Anita Ramaswamy and Lucas Matney, the minds behind TechCrunch's newest podcast Chain Reaction. The crypto-focused pod launched a few weeks ago and already has a lot of folks' attention. We highly recommend a listen, and maybe start with the one that will glow up your retirement savings...
2022-05-0427 min
The TechCrunch Live PodcastIntroducing The TechCrunch Live PodcastIntroducing The TechCrunch Live Podcast. Every Thursday we'll share the audio from TechCrunch Live which helps founders build better businesses and attract venture backing. We do this by engaging with experienced entrepreneurs and investors on their past wins and losses — particularly the pitches that helped build the business at an early stage.
2022-04-2100 minEquity‘The Ultimatum’ and social fintech have more in common than you’d thinkThis week was TechCrunch Early Stage, so Natasha and Alex got together - in person - to record the episode for the very first time. Shout out to Grace for somehow helping us figure out a tech set up in the middle of a sold out event.
We started with a recap of TechCrunch Early Stage so far, but check out TechCrunch+ for posts about every single panel next week. Pro listener tip: use code "EQUITY" for a solid discount, for your TechCrunch+ subscription.
Then we of course pivoted to Elon, who is still making news about his ne...
2022-04-1525 min
Build ModeJulia Cheek, Everly HealthEverly Health founder and CEO Julia Cheek is taking steps to revolutionize healthcare by helping patients gain access to all kinds of medical testing and in doing so allowing providers to have the data they need to give the best care possible. Darrell and Jordan first met Julia at TechCrunch Disrupt in 2016 when she was a self-proclaimed “fish out of water”. On today’s episode, she talks about how she went from being a fresh first-time founder to a CEO and competent leader who has strategically acquired companies to create a holistic and vertically integrated home-testing company. Don’t m...
2022-04-041h 04
Build ModeToyin Ajayi, CityblockOn Found Live Darrell and Jordan got to chat with Cityblock co-founder and president, Toyin Ajayi. CItyblock provides primary care, behavioral health, and social care to folks who have been historically marginalized in the healthcare system, primarily people who are receiving their health insurance through Medicaid with the goal of providing high-quality holistic care at a lower cost. They do this through a network of physicians, community outreach teams, and by working with insurance providers. While Dr. Ajayi was working in a hospital system she became frustrated by the systemic issues that were sending the same patients back to t...
2022-03-0752 min
Build ModeAriela Safira, RealThis week Darrell and Jordan talk with Real CEO and Founder, Ariela Safira. Real is a therapy platform that aims to make mental healthcare more accessible by offering group sessions and curriculums a user can engage with any time. While in college, Ariela had her first encounter with the mental health care system and realized that people were only seeking help for their mental health when they were in crisis. She then spent years studying the ways people seek care and how therapy could be more accessible and effective. In this conversation as they dive into everything from the...
2022-01-1751 min
Build ModeNabiha Saklayen, CellinoNot only is this week's guest the TechCrunch Disrupt 2021 Battlefield winner, but Nabiha Saklayen is also democratizing access to life-saving cell therapies by using—you guessed it—lasers. Nabiha is the co-founder and CEO of Cellino which is a company developing the tech to automate stem cell production that will lower the cost of cell therapies and increase the yield of viable cells. In this episode, Nabiha tells Jordan and Darrell how she built a start-up beginning with the tech and finding a business fit, her evolving leadership style, and why this work is crucial to the biomedical field. ...
2021-11-1548 minEquityEquity Monday: Zoom buys Five9 as Robinhood sets IPO price rangeHello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines.This is Equity Monday, our weekly kickoff that tracks the latest private market news, talks about the coming week, digs into some recent funding rounds and mulls over a larger theme or narrative from the private markets. You can follow the show on Twitter here and myself here.It was a big damn morning, so we had to cut some stuff. Here's what we got into:
Stocks and cryptos are off this morning, as inflation and CO...
2021-07-1906 minEquityYour funding round isn't special, but you might beHello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast, where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines.For this week’s deep dive, Alex and Natasha and Danny decided it was time to chat about funding rounds. Yep, everyone's favorite topic, just in time for the return of our wonderful producer Chris.To help us navigate these particular waters, we had our friend and friendly competitor Alex Konrad on the show. Konrad is a senior editor over at Forbes, and part of the founding duo behind the Midas Touch newsletter. We like him - an...
2021-07-1426 minEquityEquity Monday: TechCrunch goes Yahoo while welding robots raise $56MHello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines.This is Equity Monday, our weekly kickoff that tracks the latest private market news, talks about the coming week, digs into some recent funding rounds and mulls over a larger theme or narrative from the private markets. You can follow the show on Twitter here and myself here.This morning was a notable one in the life of TechCrunch the publication, as our parent company's parent company decided to sell our parent company to a different parent...
2021-05-0310 minEquityThe second shot is kicking inHello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast, where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines.First and foremost, Equity was nominated for a Webby for “Best Technology Podcast”! Drop everything and go Vote for Equity! We’d appreciate it. A lot. And even if we lose, well, we’ll keep doing our thing and making each other laugh. (Note: we are in last place, which is, well, something.)Regardless, the Equity team got together once again this week to not only go over the news of the week, but also to do a little...
2021-04-3031 minBuild ModeIntroducing TechCrunch’s new podcastJoin us weekly as we talk to founders from around the world, about why they took the leap into starting a company, what kinds of problems they ran into, and how they solved them — or maybe didn’t! We cover everything from pitching VCs, to focusing your product development plans, to what surprised people most about the founding experience.
Subscribe now, and come back to hear our first full episode on April 9!Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you
listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the
other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subs...
2021-03-3101 minEquityTips for founders thinking about doing a remote acceleratorFor this week’s deep dive, the Equity team got ahold of three founders from the recent Y Combinator batch (more here, and here) to chat through their experiences with a remote accelerator. TechCrunch was curious if the program lived up to founder expectations, how extreme timezone differentials were handled, and how easy it was to build camaraderie during a digital program. Oh, and how their demo day went.Here's who is on the show:
Benjamin Croc, a founder at BrioHR (TechCrunch coverage here)
Trisha Bantigue, a founder at Queenly (TechCrunch coverage here)
Adam Alpert, a fo...
2021-03-3122 minEquity$100 million for mealwormsHello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast, where we unpack the number behind the headlines.This is our Wednesday show, where we niche down and focus on a single topic, or theme. This week we're talking agtech, a surprisingly cool bit of the technology startup world. But Chris and Danny and Natasha and Alex were not alone in their quest to take a look into agtech, we brought alone TechCrunch climate editor Jon Shieber for the ride.With his help we got through a number of pretty damn interesting things, including:...
2021-03-0319 minEquitySpaceX is really just SPAC and an exHello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast, where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines.This is our first-ever Wednesday episode. If you want to learn more about the latest edition of the podcast, head here for more. This week we talked about space, an increasingly active part of the global economy, and a place where we're seeing more and more young tech companies place their focus.We were lucky to have TechCrunch's Darrell Etherington join us for the show. He's our resident expert, so we had to have him on to...
2021-02-2419 min