News — startups

Alexa von Tobel, co-founder and managing partner of Inspired Capital, will be joining TechCrunch Disrupt 2021 taking place September 21-23 to help judge the startups competing in Startup Battlefield. NOTE: Applications are now open to don’t hesitate to throw your hat in the ring here! Prior to Inspired Capital, Alexa founded LearnVest in 2008 with the goal of helping women in particular make better investments and learn financial planning. After raising $75 million in venture capital and growing the service to 1.5 million users, LearnVest was acquired by Northwestern Mutual in May 2015 for $250 million. Following the acquisition, Alexa...

Enlarge (credit: Sam Whitney | Wired | Getty Images) “Basically, I'm going to keep talking to you, but I’m going to disappear," longtime security researcher Katie Moussouris told me in a private Clubhouse room in February. “We'll still be talking, but I'll be gone.” And then her avatar vanished. I was alone, or at least that's how it seemed. “That’s it," she said from the digital beyond. "That's the bug. I am a fucking ghost.” It's been more than a year since the audio social network Clubhouse debuted. In that time, its explosive growth has come with a panoply of...

The days of punch-in, punch-out office culture are numbered thanks to the rise of digital nomadism; especially in San Francisco, where many of us bailed on cubicles and even open office plans ages ago. But let's be honest: Working from home sometimes lacks luster (it's 2pm and you're still in your pajamas), and there are only so many hours you can hole up in a cafe before going absolutely mental. What you need is the pro design of the office with the freedom of home and the coffee and snacks of said cafe. Enter the coworking space, which no doubt...