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

January 15, 2025'Social media should be built on protocols, not platforms,' according to Mastodon's CEO
Last week, Meta announced changes to its content moderation policy, including the removal of third-party fact-checking across its apps in favor of a crowdsourced community notes feature, similar to X.
Today on Equity, Rebecca Bellan caught up with Eugen Rochko, CEO of Mastodon, to explore what these changes mean for users and how decentralized social media platforms like Mastodon could offer a viable alternative to mainstream giants like Meta.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
Mastodon’s decision to transition to a non-profit in Europe
The challenges of implementing interoperability with platforms like TikTok -- which is set to “go dark” in the US over the weekend -- and the importance of user choice.
Which other decentralized platforms we should keep an eye on. (Hint: Pixelfed is in the mix.)
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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 min
January 10, 2025$5B livestream shopping apps, Nvidia reveals, and the weirdest tech at CES
As CES 2025 comes to a close, TechCrunch’s Equity podcast hosts Kirsten Korosec, Margaux MacColl, Anthony Ha, and Max Zeff are back on the mic to discuss the week's top news, the tech that caught their eye, and the companies still figuring out AI.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
What's driving Meta's push for “more speech, fewer mistakes” as it ends its third-party fact-checking program.
Livestream shopping app Whatnot's $265M raise, and which companies could be capitalizing on livestream shopping next.
Who is Peterson Conway, and why is he defense tech’s wildest power broker? Margaux couldn't wait to give us the inside scoop.
Kirsten and Max's full CES review, from robot-arm Roomba competitors to smart glasses, and what Nvidia's Project Digits could mean for future startups.

Equity will be back with a new expert interview on Wednesday, 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 our illustrator, Bryce Durbin, and TechCrunch’s audience development team. Thanks so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
36 min
January 08, 2025 The future of AI on wheels, according to Jesse Levinson from Zoox
Today on Equity, we're taking you on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt for Kirsten Korosec's conversation with Zoox co-founder and CEO Jesse Levinson. The pair discuss building custom robotaxis, how Zoox's approach compares to that of Tesla, and the 'current and future landscape' of AI on wheels. It's also worth noting that Amazon-owned Zoox recently scooped up some of Tesla’s top talent, bringing on Zheng Gao late last month to lead hardware engineering.
Equity will be back on Friday with a full CES recap, so don't miss it!
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 our illustrator, Bryce Durbin, and the TechCrunch audience development team.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
26 min
January 03, 2025Robinhood’s 'comeback' and big plans for 2025 with co-founder and CEO Vlad Tenev
Instead of our usual Friday news rundown, we’re bringing you a conversation about what Yahoo Finance dubbed the “comeback stock of the year” - Robinhood. TechCrunch Editor in Chief and General Manager Connie Loizos chatted with Robinhood’s CEO and co-founder, Vlad Tenev, about the company’s evolution.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
Why Tenev believes the company is poised for significant growth.
Robinhood's approach to prediction markets, sports betting, and wealth management.
How the Robinhood plans to empower a younger generation of investors.

Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast 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. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
41 min
January 02, 2025 What’s next for Bluesky? CEO Jay Graber on growth, community, and decentralization
Happy new year, Equity listeners! At the end of 2024, all eyes were on Bluesky's rapid growth. According to the social platform’s CEO Jay Graber, however, their goal is not just to recreate Twitter. Today, Rebecca is handing the reins over to TechCrunch senior reporter Max Zeff, who sat down with Graber at our last StrictlyVC event.
Listen to the full episode to hear pair dig into the company’s success and why, according to Graber, people need to, “be able to control the social networks they communicate on," regardless of whether that continues to be Bluesky or another federated social platform.
Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast 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. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
23 min
December 27, 20242024: Founder Mode, AI, and the 'Rise of the Broligarchs'
From AI advancements and CrowdStrike's crash to WordPress drama and which startups VCs have their eyes on next, TechCrunch’s Equity podcast is saying goodbye to 2024 with a look back at the year's biggest stories in tech.
Listen to the full episode to hear hosts Kirsten Korosec, Margaux MacColl, Devin Coldewey and Anthony Ha dig into:
2024 in a headline. We asked, and you answered!
Where did all the venture funding go? In a year of massive turnover, Margaux reminded us of which VCs are playing musical chairs, the rise in mega funds and decline in early-stage investments.
How Wiz is faring after its choice to walk away from Alphabet, and who else is playing Deal or No Deal?
Who's joining the TechCrunch team's list of most disruptive startups?
Predictions for AI in 2025. Investors have pumped billions of dollars into AI - including $6.6 billion for OpenAI, $6 billion for xAI, and $4 billion for Anthropic. Devin was left wondering, "Is 2025 the year they'll finally see returns?"

Before we head into the new year, the Equity crew would like to give a huge thank you to the listeners that stuck with us through 2024, and we can't wait for 2025.
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. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
30 min
December 26, 2024Found: Empathy-driven investing with Erin and Sara Foster
Today, we’re bringing you a conversation TechCrunch senior reporter Dominic Madori-Davis had with Sara and Erin Foster along with their advisor at Oversubscribed Ventures, Phil Schwarz. Across their careers, the Foster sisters have co-founded the clothing line Favorite Daughter, co-led creative for Bumble Bizz and Bumble BFF, and currently co-host their own podcast
Listen to the full episode to hear:
How the Foster sisters made their pivot to VC.
Which investments excites Oversubscribed Ventures the most.
How they balance all of the different facets of their careers.

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. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
21 min
December 20, 2024Are AI companies just defense tech now?
This week, the Equity pod gang — which included newcomer Max Zeff, Margaux MacColl, and Kirsten Korosec — noticed an emerging trend: the worlds of AI and defense tech are colliding.
Listen to the full episode to hear about:
A new fund is in town. And surprise, surprise, Humba Ventures' $40 million fund is focused on deep tech and defense.
How enterprise AI startup Cohere is unlike all the other AI startups out there, and why they've been so quiet. Particularly in this new deal with Palantir.
Dig into the great philosophical question of 2024: is it dumb to IPO in an election year? And, perhaps more importantly, will this IPO dry spell continue in 2025?
Should founders be cautious of investors with foreign backing?

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. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
32 min
December 18, 2024Building physical tech is back in fashion thanks to AI, robotics, and defense
This week on Equity Wednesday, Rebecca Bellan is joined by Louis, co-founder of America's Frontier Fund, to discuss the pressing trends in tech innovation. From robotics and AI reshaping manufacturing to Silicon Valley's embrace of defense technology, plus Louis shares his main predictions for 2025.
Listen tot he full episode for a deeper conversation on:
Silicon Valley's deep roots in defense tech
The advantages and challenges facing founders seeking government contracts rather than VC funding
The role startups play in shifting American leadership from the digital world back into physical manufacturing

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. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
34 min
December 13, 2024It's the end of the road for Cruise, and Bluesky is still taking off
Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha and Margaux MacColl are unpacking the week’s news, including GM’s decision to give up on self-driving startup Cruise. The choice initially came as a shock considering the $10 billion GM pumped into the company over the years, but it became clearer when examining Cruise’s tumultuous 2023 and 2024.
Listen to the full episode to hear about:
Freysa.ai’s public challenge and what’s motivating users to make the AI chat bot fall in love with them.
Why VCs are lining up to back Lumen Orbit’s moonshot of data centers in space.
Which startups are stepping up amid a looming TikTok ban and if we’ll see another company capture Bluesky’s success. According to Anthony, it all depends on, "luck, timing, and something to do with critical mass."
Who’s stepping up to fill Y Combinator’s place in Africa and where else we could see a pivot to local accelerators.

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. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
37 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…