Equity

By TechCrunch, Rebecca Bellan, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, Sean O'Kane, Theresa LoconsoloBusiness Entrepreneurship News Technology Business News

Favorites
232
Followers
Typical duration
34 min
per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Equity episodes

March 26, 2025Bradley Tusk says VC is dead. But the 'fixer' in him is just getting started
According to Bradley Tusk, co-founder and managing partner of Tusk Venture Partners, venture capital has been “effectively dead for the last four years." A self-proclaimed “Fixer,” Tusk recently made the decision not to raise a fourth fund. Instead, he decided to go back to his roots and launch an equity-for-services firm aimed at helping early stage startups navigate tech policy and regulation.

Today on Equity, Rebecca Bellan sat down with Tusk to explore his pivot from traditional VC to equity-for-services, when it’s worth the risk to ask for forgiveness rather than permission, and why he’s dedicated to scaling mobile voting.

Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
The limitations of the current VC model and its lack of liquidity.
How Trump’s tariffs and other measures have spooked the markets.
Tusk’s experience advising early-stage founders on regulatory climates, including the crucial role he played in Uber’s early growth.
Insights into his mobile voting project aimed at increasing voter turnout through secure, open-source technology.

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
35 min
March 21, 2025Inside the Google-Wiz acquisition and the deal's biggest winners
It was on, then off, and welp, now it's on again — and this time for a lot more money. Yep, the Equity podcast dug into Google's $32 billion acquisition of cloud security startup Wiz. There was a lot to unpack: the why, the how, what it means.

And of course, there was the "who wins" part. Sequoia is takes home the VC prize for total payout. But another plucky VC out of Israel called Cyberstarts had the largest percentage win. Tune in to find out just how much, plus the crew's other insights on the deal and the breakup fee if it fails.

Listen to the full episode to hear about:
What Max thought about Nvidia's GTC conference, plus a roundup of the important news from the event
What the Equity liked, loved, and was wary about with the Klarna IPO
The drama surrounding HR companies Rippling and Deel and an alleged spy
Waymo's deal to begin mapping the roadways at the San Francisco Airport and what the autonomous vehicle company agreed to.

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
27 min
March 19, 2025 'Every software company is an AI company now,' says AngelList CEO Avlok Kohli

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
30 min
March 14, 2025OpenAI and Microsoft’s ‘frenemies relationship,’ and what you missed at SXSW
This week, OpenAI inked a five-year, $11.9 billion deal with CoreWeave, the GPU-heavy cloud provider, securing its own AI computing pipeline—and a $350 million equity stake in the company.
With CoreWeave’s pending IPO and deep ties to Microsoft, OpenAI’s deal marks a significant shift in the AI cloud wars. Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan are diving into whether or not the deal is a power move against Microsoft or just an inevitable step in OpenAI’s bid for more compute, key deals of the week, and what you missed at South by Southwest 2025.
Listen to the full episode to hear about:
What Kirsten and Rebecca are seeing on the ground in Austin, and which founders are making moves
Who’s feeling the ‘vibe shift’ leading up to Y Combinator’s latest Demo Day, and why founders are raising less money
Scopely’s $3.5 billion bid for Pokémon GO maker Niantic

Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned!
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
31 min
March 13, 2025 Reimagining urban infrastructure with AI and Autodesk
Today on Equity, we’re taking you to Austin, Texas, for South by Southwest, where Rebecca Bellan caught up with Dara Treseder, Chief Marketing Officer at Autodesk, and Mayor Matt Mahan of San Jose, to discuss how technology is transforming urban spaces and building the cities of the future.
The panel dug into how cities today are using AI to improve traffic and safety, why digital twins can help make cities more resilient to climate disasters, and how cities can integrate data centers into the fabric of their urban landscapes, among other topics. It’s a timely discussion, especially in the wake of Autodesk laying off roughly 1350 workers—about 9% of their staff—following a restructuring to focus on cloud and AI initiatives.
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
36 min
March 07, 2025The California AI bill is back, and it lost its teeth
California’s most controversial AI safety bill of 2024 might be dead, but its author isn't backing down. State Senator Scott Weiner is back with SB 53, a new AI bill that strips away the most debated parts of last year’s failed legislation while keeping key whistleblower protections and a public cloud computing initiative called CalCompute.
With the AI industry and even the federal government shifting away from AI safety regulation in favor of innovation, will the bill gain any traction? Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are unpacking the latest moves in AI regulation along with the week’s top stories in tech and startups.
Listen to the full episode to hear about:
What Kirsten is hoping to see on the ground at SXSW this year
CoreWeave’s IPO, and why the founders’ latest moves are raising eyebrows. As Kirsten put it: there's nothing more fun than diving into an S-1
Ramp’s impressive growth, and how the fintech more than doubled its annualized revenue to $700M
Alexis Ohanian and Kevin Rose’s team-up, and if the pair can really bring back Digg
Which founders are raising in 2025, and why deep tech has some investors feeling optimistic

Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned!

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
30 min
March 05, 2025Is Silicon Valley still the best place for startups? Insight Partners’ Ryan Hinkle doesn’t think so
Today on Equity, Julie Bort sits down with Ryan Hinkle a Managing Director at Insight Partners, the giant New York-based venture capital firm that invests in tech worldwide. It has $90 billion in assets under management and just raised a new $12.5 billion fund.
The pair unpack the evolving landscape of startup ecosystems. They talk about the post-pandemic shift that saw many founders moving to cities like New York or Miami only for the rise of OpenAI and Cerebral Valley and the accompanying AI boom to reignite San Francisco and Silicon Valley in general.
While some founders say that they are now relocating their companies to San Francisco, Hinkle disagrees with the necessity of doing so.
He concedes that the Valley offers an unmatched talent pool but argues it also comes with steep costs and retention challenges, making it far from the only viable choice for startups.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
Why startup success isn’t tied to a single location but rather to access to skilled, loyal, and affordable talent
How Silicon Valley’s abundance of opportunities creates a "mercenary” hiring culture, making employee retention difficult
The key differences between building in New York vs. Silicon Valley, including financial management and access to venture capital

Equity will be back on Friday with our weekly news roundup, so don’t miss it!
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
29 min
February 28, 2025Every year, it seems like there's at least one big YC controversy
Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are breaking down the week’s biggest stories, including the Optifye.ai controversy, the wider concerns about AI in labor, and why this demo could be a glimpse of what's coming next.

Listen to the full episode to hear about:
Amazon’s Alexa unveiling this week in NYC, and why an AI-enabeled Alexa+ could make the competition sweat
Why the departure of Lucid Motors' CEO Peter Rawlinson is raising concerns about the company's future
Bridgetown Research’s $19 million raise to automate due diligence
Figure AI’s new funds and Helix plans. When asked if they’d want the humanoid assistants in their home, Kirsten was skeptical, but Max prefers the softer side of robotics.

Equity will be back next week, so stay tuned!

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
29 min
February 26, 2025How Gradient Ventures is Shaping the AI Startup Landscape with Eylul Kayin
Today on Equity, Mary Ann Azevedo sits down with Eylul Kayin, a partner at Gradient Ventures, to dive into the evolving AI startup landscape. The pair dig into what makes a successful AI startup, the importance of quality product offerings, and the fast-moving nature of AI innovation.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
Key challenges founders face, from building strong customer relationships to navigating technical hurdles.
Gradient Ventures’ approach to funding and supporting AI startups, especially how to strike a balance between vertical expertise and rapid product development.
Eylul's experience as a judge for TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield 2024, and tips for entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to investors. And if you’re a founder interested in applying, the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 applications are officially open — so be sure to check it out!

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
28 min
February 21, 2025AI Wearables 1.0: Was Humane’s AI Pin too ambitious?
Humane’s AI Pin, which promised to replace your smartphone with a sleek wearable device, is officially dead. After a rocky launch, negative reviews, and returns outpacing sales, the startup is shutting down and selling its assets to HP for $116 million – less than half of what it raised. But what’s next for Humane’s tech?
On today's episode of Equity, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are breaking down the week’s tech and startup headlines, including what HP might do with Humane’s resources and talent and how, as Max put it, the AI Pin was clearly ahead of its time.
Listen to the full episode to hear about:
The people in Elon Musk’s DOGE universe, the AI behind it, and the potential future of AI-powered government initiatives
The new AI lab contenders, Safe Superintelligence and Thinking Machines Lab, and whether VCs are putting more stock in talent than actual results
The Uber v. DoorDash lawsuit over “anti-competitive tactics”
And why Duolingo’s mascot getting killed off in a Cybertruck crash is oddly working in the brand’s favor

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
30 min

About Equity

From the publisher's feed

The intersection of technology, startups, and venture capital touches everything now. That’s why Equity, TechCrunch's flagship podcast, digs into the business of startups for entrepreneurs and…