Did you know that there is a project that is worth $11 billion and its mission is to collect rocks from Mars? Yes, that’s right, NASA is launching a mission to Mars that is estimated to cost $11 billion and is expected to take a long time to complete. But the good news is that the U.S. space agency is now seeking more input and this presents an incredible opportunity for startups to be a part of an out-of-this-world endeavor.
But that’s not the only exciting news in the startup world. In today’s episode of Equity, we cover all the latest happenings in the startup scene. This includes discussing Two Chairs’ recent and massive Series C round, Quilt’s impressive work in developing heat pumps and securing funds, and updates on a number of upcoming IPOs. With Ibotta and Rubrik going public soon, we can only hope that more IPOs will follow suit.
In addition to these exciting developments, we also dive into some major venture capital news. Bay Bridge Ventures is currently in the process of raising a $200 million climate fund, joining the growing trend of investors focusing on climatetech. And a former SpaceX employee is launching a new venture capital firm that we talked about on the show.
But the real highlight of the episode is when we discuss a16z’s latest mind-blowing achievement of securing a whopping $7.2 billion worth of new funds. Despite concerns of a slow down in the venture capital market, it seems like a16z’s ability to raise funds remains unbeatable. So hit play and join us for an exhilarating discussion!
Equity is TechCrunch’s top-rated podcast that airs every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Make sure to subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and all the other popular podcasting platforms. You can also follow Equity on X and Threads, or on Twitter at @EquityPod.
For those who prefer reading over listening, we have provided a full interview transcript for you below. But if you enjoy listening, make sure to check out our entire archive of episodes over at Simplecast.
