Venture

VC Victor Lazarte is leaving Benchmark to launch his own firm

After two years as a venture capitalist for top shelf firm Benchmark, Victor Lazarte is leaving that company to start his own investing gig, he announced on X on Thursday. Lazarte became known in tech for co-founding mobile gaming company Wildlife Studios, which was last valued at an estimated $3 billion in 2020. Wildlife raised […]

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Former Y Combinator, a16z experts hold invite-only summit for founders

On August 9, the people who previously ran startup incubator Y Combinator’s events and PR, along with a former Andreessen Horowitz social media manager, are holding a small, invitation-only event, TechCrunch has learned. The To Do List Summit will cap off at 80 early-stage founders and will teach them how to work with the press

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Disrupt 2025: First full agenda reveal for the new Going Public Stage

We recently unveiled the Going Public Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 — a new destination for founders navigating the complexities of company building, from early traction to IPO and beyond. Today, we’re excited to announce additions to the agenda that bring even more insight and firepower to the stage. Joining the speaker lineup are Eric

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For Aileen Lee, mundane tech is still has the most promise

This week on StrictlyVC Download, we’re revisiting Connie Loizos’ conversation with Aileen Lee, the founder of Cowboy Ventures. They discuss what’s on the horizon for Cowboy Ventures and how she’s thinking about AI’s impact on job creation, automation, and new business models—while also giving listeners a glimpse into Cowboy’s own recent team changes. Source

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Betaworks’ third fund closes at $66M to invest in early-stage AI startups

New York City-based Betaworks has closed its $66 million Fund III, which will focus on investing in early-stage AI companies.  Betaworks has been investing in AI since at least 2016 and, through its investment program Camp, has backed companies such as Huggingface and Granola. Jordan Crook, a partner at the firm (and former TechCrunch employee),

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Charles Hudson and Navin Chaddha join the Builders Stage at Disrupt 2025

More than 10,000 founders, investors, and tech insiders will convene at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 27-29 for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 — one of the year’s most anticipated tech conferences.  Of the 250+ tech leaders taking the stage, don’t miss this standout panel on the Builders Stage featuring two of the most respected

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David Sacks and the blurred lines of government service

When Vultron announced its $22 million funding round earlier this week, the AI startup made sure to highlight a key investor: Craft Ventures, the firm “co-founded by White House AI adviser David Sacks.” The announcement has raised questions about conflicts of interest in the Trump administration, where Sacks serves as both AI and crypto czar

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The perfect pitch: This NEA partner says every founder should answer these 5 questions

Most founders eventually have to pitch venture firms in hopes of raising capital. Tiffany Luck, a partner at NEA, took the stage at TechCrunch’s All Stage event in Boston to answer how to craft the perfect one. “I like to think of a VC pitch as your initial way for assessing founder-investor fit,” she told

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CaaStle founder charged with fraud, turns herself in

Christine Hunsicker, founder of the fashion startup CaaStle, turned herself in to authorities Friday to face fraud charges, authorities confirmed to Bloomberg.  The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment against her, charging her with wire fraud, securities fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and lying to financial institutions. She

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