OpenAI board member Bret Taylor has a new AI startup
Feb 14, 2024
Bret Taylor is making waves with his new startup, Sierra, focusing on conversational AI agents and attracting substantial funding. Meanwhile, FlowFi is rethinking financial management by blending AI with human expertise. The Latin American fintech scene is buzzing, with Bold securing $50 million and Antithesis raising $47 million for software testing. In venture capital, Homebrew is launching a new $50 million fund while Foundry is exiting the field. Plus, unconventional wellness trends, like mushroom products, are gaining traction!
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Bret Taylor's new venture
Brett Taylor, known for his work at Facebook, Salesforce, and OpenAI, founded Sierra.
Sierra focuses on building conversational AI agents and has raised substantial capital.
insights INSIGHT
FlowFi's Hybrid Approach
FlowFi combines software with human expertise in financial management for startups.
This approach contrasts with the trend of replacing humans entirely with AI.
insights INSIGHT
Bold's Funding
Bold secured $50 million for its Latin American fintech venture.
This is notable given the recent venture pullback in the region and fintech sector.
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Welcome to our Wednesday show, in which we talk through the week’s leading startup and venture capital news. Today we have an absolute pile of material, so let’s get to work:
Bret Taylor’s new startup is turning heads: Known for his work at Facebook, Salesforce and OpenAI, Taylor’s new startup Sierra is building conversational AI agents. It has raised a mountain of capital to date, which it might need given that it’s not alone in its niche.
FlowFi’s counter-cultural decision: FlowFi is building software to help startups keep their books more intelligently. But it’s not going to try and replace human inputs into financial work. Instead, it’s pairing its software with a labor marketplace so that startups can blend human and computer intelligence. If this means more GAAP accounting for startups, we’re here for it.
Bold and Antithesis snag new capital: Bold raised $50 million for its Latin American fintech business, in good news for the sector and region that once went together like peanut butter and honey. Meanwhile Antithesis raised $47 million for its software testing service.
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.
Equity