Natasha Mascarenhas
Senior Reporter
The Latest from Natasha Mascarenhas
Burn, community, burn
AI? Crypto? Equity crowdfunding and former startup founders trying to bribe China? We had it all this week.
A comprehensive list of 2023 tech layoffs
Last year’s techwide reckoning continues. In 2023, layoffs have yet again cost tens of thousands of tech workers their jobs; this time, the workforce reductions have been driven by the biggest names
Hampton is tech’s new membership community for chief executive officers
Sam Parr, founder of HubSpot-acquired newsletter and media brand The Hustle, doesn’t watch “Succession” because “it’s too real” (and because he prefers watching comedy compared to
Startup founders are trying to automate the worst part of the job: Fundraising
With a drier than normal investment scene, founders are looking for more effective ways to reach the right VCs. To that end, over the past few weeks, thousands of founders have applied to land capital
AI’s moral compass with a jack of all trades
Hello, and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. This is our Wednesday show, where we niche down to a single pe
The tide has shifted for solo GPs
Welcome to Startups Weekly, a nuanced take on this week’s startup news and trends by Senior Reporter and Equity co-host Natasha Mascarenhas. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here. It’s hard to
Are solo GPs screwed?
Entrepreneur Ankur Nagpal raised a $70 million venture fund last year, called Vibe Capital, from over 200 investors. But now, as the market shifts and LPs are less interested in venture capital, the O
Not-so-fake dry powder, AI and the future of DAOs
Hello, and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. We had the whole gang together this week, which was fitting gi
One of venture’s most iconic duos wants to have a word with you
Hello, and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. This is our Wednesday show and this time we’re niching
Duolingo is working on a music app
Duolingo, a language learning app with over 500 million users, is working on a music app, TechCrunch has learned. The Pittsburgh-based tech company currently has a small team working on a music produc
Let’s talk about succession plans
Welcome to Startups Weekly, a nuanced take on this week’s startup news and trends by Senior Reporter and Equity co-host Natasha Mascarenhas. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here. Maybe it’s t
Banking isn’t the only ‘single point of failure’ entrepreneurs should be rethinking
Silicon Valley Bank's collapse reminds us of the entrepreneurial art of balancing ambitious risk and necessary caution.
Don’t use Sam Altman and AI hype in the same sentence
Hello, and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. Today, we’re celebrating Equity’s 6th birthday! Th
Course Hero, once an edtech unicorn valued at $3.6B, conducts layoffs
Course Hero, a tutoring business last valued by investors at $3.6 billion, has cut 15% of staff, or 42 people — its first round of layoffs in 17 years, TechCrunch has learned from numerous sources.
‘BRB, storing my money in gold’: Founders scramble to figure out which banks are safe
While diversifying assets feels obvious in retrospect, actually following that bit of advice is harder than it seems.
Silicon Valley Bank: Here’s a timeline of the bank’s failure
On Friday, I wrote about how Silicon Valley Bank has been closed by regulators, which are now in charge of the bank’s deposits. The bank is set to reopen Monday, which means we — and I mean that i
Klaviyo conducts companywide layoffs
Klaviyo, an e-commerce marketing automation platform, has laid off 140 of its staff across all teams, including engineering and design, TechCrunch has learned from a number of sources. Klaviyo’s d
One founder’s account of what’s left behind from SVB’s crash
Hello, and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. This is our Wednesday show, where we niche down to a single pe
Silicon Valley Bank’s new CEO urges customers to bring deposits back
SVB’s new CEO Tim Mayopoulos has had a lot to say in the 24 hours since he joined the bank on Monday. In a private Zoom meeting run by SVB for a select number of LPs and investors, he asked clie
Silicon Valley Bank’s new CEO sends letter to clients: ‘We are conducting business as usual’
Silicon Valley Bank’s clients received a surprising email in their inboxes late Monday evening from the bank’s new CEO Tim Mayopoulos stating that the institution was not only open, it was also bu