Build Mode

What is the right way to regulate AI? There appears to be as many different answers to that as there are regulators. In this week's episode of Found, we're bringing you a live interview from TechCrunch's recent Strictly VC event. Becca Szkutak talked with Helen Toner, the director of strategy and foundational research grants from the Center of Security and Emerging Technology and a former board member of OpenAI. Although she's not a founder herself, this conversation centers around topics crucial to every founder building today as AI continues to impact nearly every industry.  Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

Today on Found, we’re talking to David Rogier, the CEO and founder of Masterclass, a streaming platform where you can learn from the world’s experts on a variety of topics, from baking to screen writing to developing empathy. Before David launched MasterClass, he worked as a VC. Through his connections there received a $500,000 seed round before he even had an idea for a company. That was nearly a decade ago, and today Dom, Becca and David talk about how he’s built the company since.They also talked about: How MasterClass was able to land its notable names from the beginning How the company has scaled after a disappointing launch How MasterClass has adapted to its users needs during the pandemic and beyond Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

Paul Hedrick, founder of Tecovas, discusses the challenges of launching a DTC western wear brand, leveraging social media for marketing, and fundraising in the cowboy boot market. They also touch on modernizing the industry, expanding to brick and mortar stores, and the importance of building a strong team for sustainable growth.

This week on Found, we have an interview from TechCrunch's Strictly VC event in DC. Becca sat down with Steve Case, the founder of AOL to discuss policy, innovation, and AI. Case, now the founder of Revolution Ventures, told the live audience that open access not only helped his company back in the 90s but is also why the internet was able to progress in the way that it did. Regulators should aim for the same goal with AI policy despite the potential risks. He  argues that opening  up access to horizontal AI players like OpenAI and Google would also help expand AI away from being concentrated on the coasts. (0:00) Introduction(1:29) AI regulation compared to the internet’s early days(6:20) Supporting AI startups outside the traditional hugs(11:49) AI Policy and the innovation economy(16:40) Entrepreneurship and job creation in the US Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

Many pots and pans on the market are coated in teflon, a poisonous chemical that can be harmful when it gets too hot. Luckily, there is an answer on the market — Caraway, a home goods brand that touts itself as being non-toxic but still high quality. Jordan Nathan founded the company after his own experience with Teflon poisoning that left him searching for a better — and healthier option. On this week’s episode of Found, Dom and Becca are joined by Nathan to discuss how he built a brand around aesthetically pleasing non-toxic home goods as we continue to dive into DTC companies. In this conversation they discussed: Why being the last brand to fundraise can be a benefit to the company Sticking to the plan to bring Caraway to retail The product launch failure that almost killed the company before it started (0:00) Introduction(3:36) Creating non-toxic cookware(7:31) Launching the brand(13:05) Caraway Brand Strategy(16:44) Expanding to new categories(20:49) Influencer marketing(25:25) Product launch failures(29:20) Host discussion Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

Coulter Lewis, founder of a sustainable lawn care company, discusses creating personalized lawn care plans, launching DTC in the current climate, expanding into new categories, using data to improve products, building businesses with family, building the right team, and navigating regulation and expansion.

When someone starts two incredibly successful enterprise companies, they must really understand the issues enterprises face and how to solve them. This week on Found, Becca and Dom talk with Arvind Jain, the CEO and co-founder of Glean, an AI-powered work assistant that connects and understands enterprise knowledge. The idea for Glean was born out of Jain’s experience at his previous startup Rubrik.In this conversation they cover:  How Jain knew it was time to start a new company and why it didn’t make sense to build Glean inside of Rubrik The importance of building a self-sufficient leadership team and the downside of micromanaging Why cybersecurity is top of mind when working with enterprise data at an AI company Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

Food is medicine. This week’s guest on Found is Ashely Tyrner, the CEO and founder of  FarmboxRx which helps their customers manage their chronic diseases through bespoke grocery boxes  In this episode, Becca, Dom, and Ashley get into the logistics  of delivering fresh produce to their member and how they have become profitable while accepting SNAP/EBT and partnering with health plans. In this conversation they cover: How Ashley’s experience living in a food desert inspired this company The struggle to fundraise despite growing and increasing revenue How the company is using behavioral science to help their members take actions that will improve their health. (0:00) Introduction(2:12) Food as medicine(7:07) Grocery logistics with fresh produce(9:27) Working with health plans(15:13) Bootstrapping a capital-heavy business(20:48) Distribution and logistics(22:48) Ashley’s leadership style(28:15) COvid’s impact on online grocery(31:49) Fundraising challenges(35:48) Host discussion Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com

Former CEOs of EarlyDay, Emma Harris and Melissa Tran, along with Chris Bennett from Wonderschool, discuss the acquisition deal and the challenges in the childcare sector post-COVID. They address staffing shortages, government partnerships, financial challenges, and the need for more entrepreneurs in childcare.

Clinical trials are ongoing for the first long-lasting, reversible male birth control which is the first innovation in male birth control since the vasectomy hit the scene in 1897. This week’s Found guest is Kevin Eisenfrats, the co-founder and CEO of Contraline, a biotech company developing innovative methods to use hydrogel as a contraceptive. Contraline’s first product, ADAM, is what some are calling the first male IUD. The company will begin clinical trials in the U.S. very soon.In this conversation they cover: The process of fundraising when you’re creating a completely new category Why the overturning of Roe V. Wade has led to increased interest in ADAM by men in the US The future of Contraline and other innovations that use hydrogels (0:00) Introduction(2:26) The challenges to male birth control(6:53) Why hydrogel works(9:35) Developing ADAM(15:08) Cultural reaction to ADAM(20:18) Entrepreneurship in medicine(22:39) FDA approval process(28:09) What’s next for Contraline(34:23) Host conversation Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcast: Equity . Subscribe to Found to hear more stories from founders each Connect with us: On Twitter On Instagram Via email: found@techcrunch.com