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 Friday show, and we’re talking about the week’s biggest startup and tech news.
What Happened to WeWork?
This week, we had Mary Ann, Becca, and Alex aboard to chat through all that happened in the last seven days. As the shared office space company struggles to stay alive, we had a lot to say. We discussed the latest developments at WeWork, including the company’s efforts to rebrand itself and attract new customers.
Deals of the Week
Mary Ann wanted to chat about Charlie, which is building a neobank for seniors. Alex wanted to talk about an interesting nonprofit-ish model to get startups and others access to H100s. Becca brought Almouneer to the table, an interesting health tech play in the Middle East.
From there, we dug into massive fintech rounds, which are seemingly back. For more, you can read upon QI Tech, Tabby, and Next Insurance. These companies are leading the charge in the fintech space, with innovative solutions that are changing the way people live and work.
What to Do When Founding Teams Break Up?
Becca has notes on what to do when founding teams break up. This is a crucial topic for startups, as team dynamics can make or break a company’s success. We discussed strategies for navigating these situations and coming out stronger on the other side.
The Rise of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)
But that’s not all we talked about this week. Alex Wilhelm, our senior reporter, had an important point to make about the rise of BNPL. As he put it, "BNPL is just another way of saying ‘debt’." This phrase has sparked a lot of debate in the fintech community, with some arguing that BNPL is simply a more consumer-friendly way of taking on debt.
However, Alex’s point highlights an important issue: many people are using BNPL without fully understanding the implications. As we delved deeper into this topic, it became clear that BNPL is not just a convenient payment option, but also a potential path to financial trouble for some individuals.
The Fintech Roundup
We also discussed several massive fintech rounds that took place recently. These companies are pushing the boundaries of innovation in the fintech space, with solutions that are changing the way we live and work.
- QI Tech, a Chinese fintech company, raised $1 billion in funding to expand its digital lending platform.
- Tabby, an e-commerce payment solution, secured $100 million in funding to expand its services across the Middle East and Africa.
- Next Insurance, a small business insurance platform, raised $150 million in funding to further develop its AI-powered underwriting engine.
These fintech companies are leading the charge in innovation, with solutions that are transforming the way we live and work. But as we discussed this week, there’s also a growing concern about the implications of BNPL on consumers’ financial well-being.
Conclusion
As always, Equity is back for you on Monday, but you can catch up with us in the meantime on X and Threads @EquityPod. Talk soon!
For episode transcripts and more, head to Equity’s Simplecast website.
Equity drops at 7 a.m. PT every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and all the casts.
TechCrunch also has a great show on crypto, a show that interviews founders and more!
About Our Hosts
- Alex Wilhelm: Senior Reporter at TechCrunch covering the markets, venture capital, and startups.
- Mary Ann Azevedo: Sr. Reporter at TechCrunch with over 20 years of business reporting and editing experience.
- Rebecca Szkutak: Senior Writer at TechCrunch covering venture capital trends and startups.
- Theresa Loconsolo: Audio Producer at TechCrunch focusing on Equity, the network’s flagship podcast.
Stay tuned for more exciting episodes of Equity!