Big Tech’s Antitrust Cases Are Starting To Feel Like Groundhog Day Equity podcast

31:08

At Stripe’s Sessions conference this week, Mark Zuckerberg pitched what he calls the “ ultimate business machine ”: a fully automated, end-to-end AI ad engine promising to replace agencies, creatives, and media buyers. You just need to connect your bank account first. Zuckerberg claims this could be one of the most valuable AI systems ever built, generating thousands of image ads and testing them in real time, but it raises a bigger question: is this the future of advertising, or just another wave of AI slop flooding your feed? Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are unpacking why Zuckerberg’s vision could be a marketer’s dream or creative agency’s worst nightmare, and what else caught our eye in tech this week. Listen to the full episode to hear about: How Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro managed to beat Pokémon Blue . Max was unimpressed, but the Equity crew thinks gamifying AI benchmarks might be the way to go. The countertop robot that handles some parts of cooking for you, with emphasis on some Uber’s continued push into autonomous vehicles and what Waymo’s doing in the mix A new venture from Brian Armstrong that just raised $130 million to develop cutting-edge age-reversing treatments, and who else is using AI to help us live forever 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…

Equity

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StrictlyVC Download: Why Eric Slesinger, a former CIA officer, is now funding European defense tech 30:10

7 days ago30:10

30:10

Today, we're bringing you an episode of our sister podcast, StrictlyVC Download . StrictlyVC's Alex Gove caught up with Eric Slesinger from 201 Ventures , a venture capital firm focused on seed-stage defense tech startups in Europe. They discuss Eric's journey from CIA to investor and how he recognized the untapped potential in European defense tech while others were dismissive, and how he's working to overcome the cultural taboo that once made defense investments "bad manners" in European VC circles. Equity will be back on Friday with our weekly news roundup, 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…

Equity

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Damn, the Cluely ragebait got us 29:08

12 days ago29:08

29:08

What if cheating was just…the future of work? That’s the pitch behind Cluely , the viral AI startup that claims its stealthy browser overlay is “undetectable” and can help users bluff their way through everything from job interviews to exams. The company has raised $5.3 million and sparked a wave of backlash from startups building tools to catch cheaters . Cluely’s response? They’ll just build smart glasses or brain chips. Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are getting into the week’s headlines, including whether Cluely’s viral strategy is genius, gross, or both, and what it says about the future of work in the AI age. Listen to the full episode to hear about: Sam Altman’s latest World event in San Francisco where eyeball scans met privacy concerns Why Shein’s IPO is under threat from new tariffs, and how companies like Amazon are bracing for 100%+ duty increases on Chinese goods Waymo and Toyota’s agreement to explore autonomous tech integration The messy world of AI benchmarks and which major companies are allegedly gaming the system with LM Arena 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…

Equity

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The rise of retail investors in secondaries, and why delayed IPOs will become the norm 25:03

14 days ago25:03

25:03

Retail investors are increasingly shaping the secondary market. In Q4 2024, platforms like EquityZen reported that 86% of total transaction volume came from retail participants—an eye-catching shift as tools like Forge and EquityZen promise broader access to private shares. But does more access mean more opportunity, or more risk? Today on Equity , Rebecca Bellan is joined by Jared Carmel of Manhattan Venture Partners to dig into what he calls a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” in secondaries, and why he sees this market as a “pressure relief valve” that could keep startups private well past their startup years. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: Why a sluggish IPO market is pushing more action into secondaries How this creates a flywheel for venture capital And why Jared thinks robust secondary markets will delay (or eliminate) the need for IPOs altogether 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…

Equity

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Big Tech’s antitrust cases are starting to feel like Groundhog Day 32:25

19 days ago32:25

32:25

Today on Equity , we're digging into the week’s headlines, from browsers and search to AI and social, and why Google and Meta's antitrust cases have us wondering if they’re really breaking up monopolies or just passing the baton to the next dominant player. Listen to the full episode to hear about: Tesla’s massive 71% profit drop and how Elon Musk is doubling down on Tesla and AI How Mati Carbon took home the grand prize from this year’s Xprize Carbon Removal competition Vibe coding, Cursor, and which AI-powered coding tool OpenAI has its sights on acquiring next The $91.5 billion raised by U.S. startups in Q1 —and why more than half of it went to just 10 companies 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…

Equity

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How to survive and thrive as tariffs, AI, and politics unsettle the rules of business 27:32

21 days ago27:32

27:32

Trump’s tariffs have upended global trade and created an environment of uncertainty. But this situation wasn’t created in a vacuum. The rules of business have been shifting for years as technology moves quicker than regulation, geopolitics descend into turmoil, and the law erodes and becomes weaponized. Businesses might be asking themselves, how are they meant to keep their heads above water? And what can they do to fight back? Hence AI co-founder Sean West has some answers. With a team spread across the U.K., Rwanda, the U.S., and the Netherlands, the London-based startup has raised $5.2 million to date with a mission to democratize access to high-level business intelligence—something traditionally reserved for the biggest companies with the biggest budgets. Today on Equity , Rebecca Bellan sat down with West, who recently published the book Unruly: Fighting Back When Politics, AI, and Law Upend the Rules of Business , to dig into how companies should respond to rising geopolitical risk, the macro cost of keeping your head down, and why AI-powered tools like Hence Global, built on Palantir’s Foundry platform, are quietly redefining what it means to be “advised.” Listen to the full episode to hear more about: What businesses are getting wrong about tariffs and political risk. How companies can go on the offensive to thrive in the chaos. Why patriotism can shield companies, but comes with a cost. Why law firms and consultants are some of Hence’s earliest adopters. The broader implications of “democratizing access” to geopolitical risk intel. 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…

Equity

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Is the SPAC back? 29:12

26 days ago29:12

29:12

Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are unpacking the week’s news, including the possible return of the SPAC in an uncertain IPO market. It’s a curious moment for a public debut, as Kirsten points out, especially after so much chatter that 2025 would be the big comeback year for blockbuster IPOs, but some major players like Klarna and StubHub have already hit pause. And as investor Mark Goldberg put it on this week’s show, folks holding their breath for a fintech IPO wave this year “are going to be blue in the face.” Listen to the full episode to hear about: How Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos’s AI voices could be taking over a crosswalk near you Figma’s IPO plans , and questions on the Equity crew’s mind ahead of the S-1. How Hugging Face’s latest acquisition confirms its push into humanoid robotics The latest wave of OpenAI models , updates to its o3 and o4-mini reasoning models, and why all eyes are on the bigger launch still to come: GPT-5. 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…

Equity

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We've entered an era of Fintech Maximalism according to Mark Goldberg 28:20

28 days ago28:20

28:20

After nearly a decade at Index Ventures, where he backed standout fintech companies like Plaid, Persona, Lithic, and Pilot, Mark Goldberg left to launch Chemistry , an early-stage venture firm. Founded alongside Kristina Shen and Ethan Kurzweil, the $350 million fund is part of a growing trend in venture capital: seasoned investors breaking out from large platforms to build more focused, boutique outfits. Today on Equity , Mary Ann Azevedo caught up with Goldberg about what led him to make the move, what Chemistry is all about, and how the venture landscape has evolved over the past few years. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: The state of fintech, a sector Goldberg has long had his eye on—and why he sees “a lot more tech-fin than fintech” these days Why those waiting for a wave of fintech IPOs might be in for a long hold What he’s watching for in 2025 and beyond, from the impact of AI on fraud to shifting deal activity, including a pickup in M&A and secondaries Equity will be back with our weekly news roundup on Friday, 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…

Equity

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Meta's Llama drama and how Trump's tariffs could hit moonshot projects 32:45

5 weeks ago32:45

32:45

Meta dropped three new models over the weekend: Scout, Maverick, and the still-training Behemoth, billed as the next evolution of “open-ish” AI. But instead of excitement, the response was mostly shrugs. Critics called the release underwhelming, saying it lacked the edge expected in today’s breakneck AI race. Meta’s clear attempt to claw back some attention quickly turned messy. Accusations began circulating on X and Reddit around benchmark tampering, a mystery ex-employee, and large gaps between the models’ public and private performance. Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are unpacking Meta’s rocky rollout, the AI industry’s obsession with looking smart on paper, and why, as Kirsten put it, “creating something to do well on a test doesn't always translate to good business.” Listen to the full episode to for: A breakdown of Trump’s latest tariff push, what you missed and how companies are bracing for impact The secretive EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos , and whether it was Bezos’s Plan B Colossal Biosciences’ Dire Wolf discovery, and whether or not the breakthrough justifies the startup’s $10B+ valuation 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…

Equity

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Why prediction markets are going mainstream with Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour 18:37

5 weeks ago18:37

18:37

Kalshi is the largest prediction market in America, building a unique trading economy around political, sports, and cultural events. While some states view it as an illegal operation requiring gambling licenses, others—including certain courts and members of the Trump administration—see it as a groundbreaking financial opportunity. On this episode of Equity , Max Zeff sits down with Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour at the latest StrictlyVC event in San Francisco. Mansour shares why he sees Kalshi as a global source of truth. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: How Kalshi is creating a new trading economy around political and cultural events. The regulatory challenges and opportunities that prediction markets face. Mansour’s vision for Kalshi as a global tool for decision-making and transparency. The controversy surrounding Kalshi’s status and its ongoing legal battles. 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…

Equity

1
Spy games in HR tech: Inside Rippling’s wild lawsuit against Deel 25:30

6 weeks ago25:30

25:30

Rippling’s latest lawsuit reads less like a legal filing and more like the plot of a corporate espionage thriller, complete with secret crypto payments, an alleged mole, and a fake Slack channel trap. This week, the HR tech startup publicly named the employee at the center of its case against its rival Deel, claiming the company paid him thousands to spy from the inside. Deel, however, is not staying quiet. The company is denying the claims, calling it a dramatic distraction from Rippling’s own legal troubles. Today, on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Max Zeff and Anthony Ha are catching us up on the week’s headlines, including a breakdown of how this saga between two HR tech giants escalated from business rivalry to accusations of racketeering, and why, according to Max, smashing the phone you use for corporate espionage with an ax at your mother-in-law's house is “the oldest trick in the book.” Listen to the full episode to hear about: The startup that’s gamifying the tax filing process , and the copyright questions that continue to rise Circle’s IPO and what the move could signal for others in the crypto space. The latest in the AI race — from OpenAI’s record-breaking raise and GPU meltdowns to Anthropic’s AI chatbot plan for colleges and Google’s Gemini leadership shakeup . 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…

Equity

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Startup Battlefield winner Salva Health is changing the game in breast cancer detection 23:47

6 weeks ago23:47

23:47

Six years ago, while researching for a college entrepreneurship competition, Valentina Agudelo identified a troubling gap in breast cancer survival rates between Latin America and the developed world, with women in her native Colombia and the rest of the continent dying at higher rates due to late detection. Today, Agudelo is the co-founder and CEO of Salva Health , and recently took home the top prize at TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield . On the latest episode of Equity , she joins Rebecca Bellan to discuss how her company is using the Julieta device to revolutionize early breast cancer detection. But before we dive into that, a quick reminder: applications are now open for this year’s competition, so make sure to get yours in! Listen to the full episode to hear more about: How their flagship product, Julieta, is making early breast cancer detection more accessible and efficient. The unique hardware-as-a-service model and its impact on rural healthcare. Salva Health’s expansion plans and exploration of other medical conditions like osteoporosis and liver cancer. Valentina’s experience competing in TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield and the challenges of securing funding for female-led startups. 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…

Equity

1
OpenAI is shooting for AGI but landing in Studio Ghibli 27:41

7 weeks ago27:41

27:41

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

Equity

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Bradley Tusk says VC is dead. But the 'fixer' in him is just getting started 34:33

7 weeks ago34:33

34:33

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…

Equity

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Inside the Google-Wiz acquisition and the deal's biggest winners 26:19

8 weeks ago26:19