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Wöchentlich
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Firmengründung

Wöchentlich

VOR 5 TAGEN

CES 2026 was all about “physical AI” and robots, robots, robots

After years of chatbots and image generators, AI is finally leaving the screen. At CES 2026, that shift became impossible to ignore. The annual tech showcase in Las Vegas was dominated by "physical AI" and robotics, from Boston Dynamic's newly redesigned Atlas humanoid robot to AI-powered ice makers (yes, really). The companies in attendance clearly want consumers to know: AI isn't just capable of answering questions anymore. It's ready to movecar parts in factories, catchcatching drones with net guns, and dance in automaker booths. Today on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane break down everything we saw at CES 2026 and more deals from the week that caught our eye. Listen to the full episode to hear about: Discord’s rumored IPO, years after shutting down a Microsoft acquisition xAI's massive $20 billion raise and the dark side of Grok's content moderation failures How Mobileye is getting into the humanoid robotics game with its acquisition of Mentee Robotics OpenAI's potential shift toward audio-first, screenless AI experiences Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:38 - Discord's surprise IPO filing 03:24 - xAI's $20B raise amid CSAM controversy 11:06 - Mobileye's pivot to humanoid robotics 14:41 - Physical AI takes over CES 18:31 - Why humanoid robots still don't make sense 24:26 - OpenAI's war on screens and ambient computing 29:56 - Wrap-up Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

vor 5 Tagen

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34 Min.
7. JAN.

Investing in the consumer AI products OpenAI ‘won’t want to kill’

Vanessa Larco, partner at Premise and former partner at NEA, thinks 2026 will finally be the year of consumer AI. Larco, who's been investing in consumer and prosumer for years, thinks we're about to see a shift in how consumers spend time online, with AI powering “concierge-like” services. The question is, will legacy consumer products like WebMD and TripAdvisor continue to exist as standalone apps, or will they just get absorbed into ChatGPT or Meta AI? And where can startups carve out an AI-powered niche for themselves? Today on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan sat down with Larco to talk about why consumer is back, what OpenAI won't kill, and where the real opportunities are hiding. Listen to the full episode to hear about: Why Larco thinks OpenAI won't build marketplace businesses that require managing real humans. Larco’s take on "disposable software" and why AI apps “should be treated like Word docs.” How Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses turned Larco into a believer in voice interfaces (and why she thinks screens are optional for most tasks). More predictions for 2026, including another huge year for M&A. What new business models stablecoins could unlock. 00:00 - Introduction 00:53 - Why founders are excited about consumer again 04:40 - The moat against OpenAI: Managing real humans 09:22 - Apps as disposable as Word docs 12:48 - Social media in the AI era 18:48 - Meta Ray-Bans and why wearables are actually good 23:35 - Stablecoins and consumer fintech opportunities 26:54 - M&A predictions for 2026 Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7. Jan.

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32 Min.
31.12.2025

Fizz CEO on why anonymous social is winning with Gen Z

Fizz is betting that Gen Z is tired of performing their lives on Instagram and TikTok. What started as a pandemic-era group chat frustration has turned into the dominant social platform on college campuses across the US, focused on the 99% of life that doesn't make it into a highlight reel. Capturing the attention of a demographic typically glued to Instagram and TikTok, the app's hybrid anonymous model and hyperlocal focus has made it what Solomon calls "the biggest college social app since Facebook.” Today we're bringing you a conversation that Dominic Madori Davis had with Fizz’s co-founder and CEO Teddy Solomon from this year's Disrupt, digging into why he thinks social media stopped being social. Listen to the full episode to hear: Why Solomon thinks Instagram and TikTok became pure entertainment platforms, and why that created an opening How Fizz uses 7,000 volunteer student moderators plus AI to keep the platform safe The company's expansion strategy beyond college and what "Global Fizz" actually means Solomon’s case for why New York is a better place to build a consumer company than San Francisco Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:34 - What broke in social media 04:03 - Building for the 99% of life 07:29 - Content moderation at scale 11:16 - The risks of anonymous social 13:22 - Pandemic origins and IRL community 16:49 - Why the company moved to New York 19:45 - Scaling with "arguably the most retentive social product in history" 21:32 - Almost getting arrested at Pepperdine…for donuts 26:09 - The future of social media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

31.12.2025

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33 Min.
VOR 6 TAGEN

It’s time to throw away the old go-to-market playbook with Paul Irving from GTMfund

n the season finale of Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Paul Irving, Partner and COO of GTMfund, to discuss go-to-market strategies for the AI era. Paul shares specific, actionable advice on how early-stage startups can win even when facing well-funded competitors who iterate at lightning speed. He also explains why distribution has become the final remaining moat when technical advantages disappear in months instead of years, and why every company needs a unique go-to-market motion tailored to their specific ICP. If you just can’t get enough AI-native GTM strategies, check out this episode of the GTMnow podcast: Build your AI Outbound Machine with ChatGPT Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:44 Meet Paul Irving - GTM Fund 04:02 Finding Competitive Edge in Specific Channels 07:34 Matching Operators to Startups with AI 12:08 The End of the B2B SaaS Playbook Era 14:09 Creative GTM Strategies 16:18 The Power of Warm Introduction Mapping 23:04 Success Stories: Ryder and Vanta 25:25 Red Flags in Go-to-Market Strategy 27:29 Advice for Resource-Constrained Founders 31:22 When to Start Hiring a GTM Team 34:57 Outro Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

vor 6 Tagen

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37 Min.
VOR 19 STD.

The multibillion-dollar AI security problem enterprises can't ignore

AI agents are supposed to make work easier. Instead, they're creating a whole new category of security nightmares. As companies deploy AI-powered chatbots, agents, and copilots across their operations, they're facing a new risk: how do you let employees and AI agents use powerful AI tools without accidentally leaking sensitive data, violating compliance rules, or opening the door to prompt-based injections? Witness AI just raised $58 million to find a solution, building what they call "the confidence layer for enterprise AI." Today on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan was joined by Barmak Meftah, co-founder and partner at Ballistic Ventures, and Rick Caccia, CEO of Witness AI, to discuss what enterprises are actually worried about, why AI security become an $800 billion to $1.2 trillion market by 2031, and what happens when AI agents start talking to other AI agents without human oversight. Listen to the full episode to hear: How enterprises accidentally leak sensitive data through "shadow AI" usage. What CISOs are actually worried about right now, how the problem has evolved rapidly over 18 months, and what it will look like over the next year. Why traditional cybersecurity approaches don't work for AI agents. Real examples of AI agents going rogue, including one that threatened to blackmail an employee. Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

vor 19 Std.

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31 Min.
2. JAN.

How AI is reshaping work and who gets to do it, according to Mercor's CEO

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

2. Jan.

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25 Min.
1. JAN.

2026 predictions from LP-lead investments to IPO mania: Equity crossover

We're bringing you a special TechCrunch podcast crossover episode. Isabelle joins Equity Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan to dissect the year's biggest tech developments, from mega AI funding rounds that defied expectations to the rise of "physical AI," and make their calls for 2026. The group tackled everything from why AI agents didn't live up to the hype in 2025 (but probably will in 2026), to how Hollywood will push back against AI-generated content, to why VCs are facing a serious liquidity crisis. Listen to the full episode to hear: Why world models are the next big thing in AI and how they're different from large language models The death of "stealth mode" for AI startups and the rise of alternative funding sources Predictions on regulatory chaos around AI policy and what Trump's recent executive order means for startups Hot takes on IPOs: Will OpenAI and Anthropic actually go public in 2026? Rapid-fire predictions including Johnny Ive and Sam Altman's inevitable public breakup, the return of dumb phones, and why everyone will be calling themselves "AI native" What's coming in Build Mode season 2: A deep dive into team building, hiring, and finding co-founders Chapters: 00:00 Intro - TechCrunch Build Mode & Equity Crossover Episode 00:27 Meet the Hosts - Predictions Episode Introduction 02:49 Reviewing 2024 Predictions - The Mega Funding Rounds 05:40 AI Startup Funding Challenges and Alternative Capital Sources 08:05 2026 AI Predictions - World Models and the Next Evolution 12:41 Physical AI - The Intersection of Robotics and Intelligence 14:07 AI in Media and Content Creation 18:48 Netflix-Warner Brothers Deal and FTC Predictions 21:09 The LP Direct Investment Trend 23:26 IPOs and Deep Tech Capital Challenges 25:49 Startup Battlefield Trends - Verticalized AI Across Industries 28:08 Rapid Fire Predictions - Fashion, Self-Driving Cars, and More 30:25 The Dumb Phone Comeback and Foldable iPhones 32:51 Build Mode Season 2 Preview - People and Team Building New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

1. Jan.

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35 Min.
01.08.2025

From Meta’s massive offers to Anthropic’s massive valuation, does AI have a ceiling?

Meta is still going all-in on the AI talent war, with Mark Zuckerberg reportedly reaching out to top recruits himself, throwing around jaw-dropping compensation packages that top $1 billion over multiple years. And Meta’s latest target? Mira Murati's new startup, Thinking Machines Lab. It's a bold play in an already overheated market. While Zuck eyes new talent, Anthropic is preparing to raise a massive round of its own at a staggering $170 billion valuation, nearly tripling its worth in just months. On paper, it looks like the AI cash floodgates are wide open. But all this endless money raises some serious questions about sustainability. On today's episode of Equity, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Max Zeff unpack the reality behind these eye-popping figures. With compensation packages skyrocketing and funding rounds swelling, how long can this race actually last? Listen to the full episode to hear more about: Figma’s IPO, which is massively oversubscribed ahead of its NYSE debut Ramp’s rapid rise to a $22.5 billion valuation in just 45 days Why the Pentagon’s Golden Dome defense program may not be the big break startups are hoping for The escalating AI chip race, from Groq’s $600 million raise to Tesla’s $16.5 billion deal with Samsung, all while geopolitical tensions flare over chip exports to China Equity will be back for you next week, 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

01.08.2025

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32 Min.
26.12.2025

Equity's 2026 Predictions: AI Agents, Blockbuster IPOs, and the Future of VC

TechCrunch's Equity crew is bringing 2025 to a close and getting ahead on the year to come with our annual predictions episode! Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan were joined by Build Mode host Isabelle Johansson to dissect the year's biggest tech developments, from mega AI funding rounds that defied expectations to the rise of "physical AI," and make their calls for 2026. The group tackles everything from why AI agents didn't live up to the hype in 2025 (but probably will in 2026), to how Hollywood will push back against AI-generated content, to why VCs are facing a serious liquidity crisis. Listen to the full episode to hear: Why world models are the next big thing in AI and how they're different from large language models The death of "stealth mode" for AI startups and the rise of alternative funding sources Predictions on regulatory chaos around AI policy and what Trump's recent executive order means for startups Hot takes on IPOs: Will OpenAI and Anthropic actually go public in 2026? Rapid-fire predictions including Johnny Ive and Sam Altman's inevitable public breakup, the return of dumb phones, and why everyone will be calling themselves "AI native" What's coming in Build Mode season 2: A deep dive into team building, hiring, and finding co-founders Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:43 - Rating our 2025 predictions 04:19 - Funding in the bubble era 06:35 - World models and the future of AI 09:05 - The year of AI agents (for real this time) 11:58 - Physical AI everywhere 15:19 - AI meets Hollywood 16:25 - Regulatory chaos and federal preemption 18:34 - The liquidity crisis and LP direct investing 22:19 - IPO predictions for 2026 23:57 - Startup trends for 2026 27:06 - Buzzwords we're sick of hearing 28:15 - Rapid fire predictions 32:50 - What's next for Build Mode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

26.12.2025

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35 Min.
19.12.2025

Hardware's brutal week: iRobot, Luminar, and Rad Power go bankrupt

The hardware world had a brutal week, with iRobot, Luminar, and Rad Power Bikes all filing for bankruptcy. Each company faces its own mix of tariff pressures, supply chain issues, and shifting markets, but together they tell a larger story about the challenges of building physical products in an era of global trade tensions and cheap overseas competition. From the Roomba maker that almost got acquired by Amazon to the e-bike company that couldn't escape its Chinese supply chain, this week's bankruptcies are a warning sign for hardware startups everywhere. Today on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, hosts Anthony Ha, Rebecca Bellan, and Sean O'Kane discuss what went wrong for three once-promising hardware companies, plus Amazon's massive OpenAI bet and Trump's new approach to AI regulation. Listen to the full episode to hear more news from the week, including: How "slop" became Merriam-Webster's word of the year — and why it's become bigger than just AI-generated content Why Databricks raised $10 billion at a $134 billion valuation (in a Series L!) instead of just going public already The Coursera-Udemy merger and whether online course platforms can survive the AI era Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 00:24 - AI slop is Merriam-Webster's word of the year 06:07 - Amazon's $10 billion OpenAI investment 10:43 - Databricks raises $10 billion in a Series L 14:14 - Coursera acquires Udemy 19:17 - Hardware bankruptcies: iRobot, Luminar, and Rad Power Bikes 26:21 - Trump's AI executive order targets state regulation Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

19.12.2025

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33 Min.

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Top-Sendungen

CES 2026 was all about “physical AI” and robots, robots, robots

Investing in the consumer AI products OpenAI ‘won’t want to kill’

Fizz CEO on why anonymous social is winning with Gen Z

It’s time to throw away the old go-to-market playbook with Paul Irving from GTMfund

The multibillion-dollar AI security problem enterprises can't ignore

How AI is reshaping work and who gets to do it, according to Mercor's CEO

2026 predictions from LP-lead investments to IPO mania: Equity crossover

From Meta’s massive offers to Anthropic’s massive valuation, does AI have a ceiling?

Equity's 2026 Predictions: AI Agents, Blockbuster IPOs, and the Future of VC

Hardware's brutal week: iRobot, Luminar, and Rad Power go bankrupt

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