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I just got back from taping an episode of Equity, where I learned about the latest wave of stupidity. The tech industry’s allergy to DEI has reached a latest level, as Silicon Valley’s leaders once again wave their “meritocracy” banners far and wide. Scale AI’s Alexandr Wang has decided that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is passé—and has replaced it with his shiny latest acronym, MEI: merit, excellence, and intelligence. I cringed so hard I’m going to wish a chiropractor.
Of course, the ignorance prompted rapturous applause from tech titans like Elon Musk at X, while a slew of LinkedIn startupers rolled their eyes so hard they were practically doing backflips.
Critics say Wang’s post misses the point (oh, shit!) by ignoring systemic barriers and reducing complex social dynamics to a simplistic—and dangerously naive—idea of meritocratic purity. Meanwhile, at Scale AI HQ, commentators from depressed regions toil away to earn lower than enough money for a decent Silicon Valley brunch. But after all, let’s talk about how “objective” hiring practices will protect us all from the tyranny of equity and inclusion.
Kind regards,
He got here
(@Haje on X. You may not message me with your thoughts on the above. Also: the above thoughts are my very own and do not reflect the views of TechCrunch or any other creator, and all the usual blah blah blah blah blah people say when they write an offended column.)
This week’s top startup stories
Ever wonder what keeps a top enterprise capitalist up at night? Spoiler alert: It’s not his sizable investment portfolio or his busy schedule. Vinod Khosla, co-founding father of Sun Microsystems and the brains behind Khosla Ventures, recently revealed his biggest worry—and it’s not what you’d expect from someone who bet $50 million on OpenAI and had it repay big time. I enjoyed Connie’s candid conversation with Khosla about the way forward for AI, regulatory woes, and why the European tech scene is perhaps slumbering while the remainder of the world is racing ahead. Buckle up; it’s an enlightening (and surprisingly fun) ride!
- He puts the lotion in the cart: To turn nice dreams into vivid nightmares, scientists have developed a robot with living skin that may be stretched and manipulated. Think Terminator T-1000, but with barely higher skincare.
- Rirelgvat vf answer, ubarfgyl*: In a recent interview that raised more eyebrows than a botched Botox job, Telegram founder Pavel Durov revealed that the messaging giant works with only “about 30 engineers” and has no dedicated product managers – unless you count Durov himself . While he boasted about the efficiency of his Dubai headquarters, security experts collectively reacted, calling it a major red flag for user safety.
- Hey, Butch, you are buying return tickets, right?: Boeing’s Starliner capsule has finally arrived in space, but its return home is fashionably late. Originally scheduled for June 14, the two-person crew will now extend their space vacation to June 26 attributable to persistent technical problems.
The most interesting collections this week
Volkswagen is taking a leap of religion (and money) into an electric future by investing as much as $5 billion in Rivian software development, starting with an initial injection of $1 billion. This partnership appears to be a win-win: Rivian gets the financial backing it must pursue an ambitious path forward, and VW finally gets a probability to brush up on its somewhat rusty software skills. In their latest bromance, the two automotive giants will share technology secrets, similar to school children swapping snacks for lunch – VW even gets access to Rivian’s sleek electric architecture. The collaboration could bring some much-needed flare to Volkswagen’s lineup while giving Rivian a European flavor — in a deal that form of began with each firms talking about building cars in Georgia (the state, not the country).
Imagine spending your vacation not behind a bike shed, smoking pot (or whatever you’re doing lately), but in a VC’s office, negotiating a half-million dollars. Sounds like the plot of a teen drama, right? Well, for Christopher Fitzgerald and Nicholas Van Landschoot, this is real life. Instead of perfecting their cannonballs or binge-watching Netflix, these two 18-yr-olds convinced seasoned investors to back their AI-powered API startup with $500,000.
- It comes in hot: In a world where fast gratification apparently knows no limits, Zepto just ponied up a staggering $665 million to make sure you never have to attend longer than 10 minutes for your groceries – or your electronic gadgets. Investors are tripping over themselves like they’ve never seen a grocery app before!
- Lots of CRM. So smart: Forget the whole lot you know about CRMs as glorified, soul-sucking spreadsheets. Christopher O’Donnell, the former HubSpot executive who helped put the company on the map, is back with a vengeance — and this time, he’s armed with artificial intelligence.
- $50 million “Buy Now” button: Have you ever felt like shopping online is like finding a needle in a digital haystack? Well, Daydream seems to think so too and has decided to tackle this mystery head-on. Armed with a massive $50 million seed funding and an arsenal of AI-powered tools, it goals to make e-commerce searches as easy as finding cat videos on the Internet. , Indeed.
Other unmissable TechCrunch stories…
Every week there are a few stories I would like to share with you that just don’t fit into the above categories. It could be a shame if you missed them, so here’s a random collection of goodies for you:
- Stop, collaborate and listen*: OpenAI is on a mission to develop into the Swiss Army knife of technology. Fresh off its acquisition of database company Rockset, it has now acquired Multi, a startup that is essentially Zoom with bells and whistles.
- Simply? The best!*: Anthropic has released Claude 3.5 Sonnet, its latest and improved AI model. While it’s being touted as the best yet, it’s more of a subtle step forward than a huge step forward for AI. The latest model excels at text and image evaluation, but don’t expect it to inform jokes any higher than its predecessors – AI humor is still an unsolved mystery. But that is why you have me, right? I’m funny. All So he says.
- Boulevard of unfulfilled dreams*: The legal drama surrounding Fisker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy is heating up faster than a lawyer clocking in. With accusations of “suspicious activity” and heated exchanges more suited to daytime TV than bankruptcy court, the fight over Fisker’s assets is turning into an all-out legal brawl.
- Come and warm your companion*: Just when you thought antivirus software was the least of your worries, the US government has a different take: Kaspersky is now offline! Citing national security concerns and Russia’s potential use of knowledge as a weapon, Uncle Sam has announced a “first-of-its-kind” ban on the popular antivirus vendor.
- Everything is waiting for you*: In a world where enterprise capital for Black women is as rare as a dentist for chickens, Fearless Fund co-founder Ayana Parsons has decided to trade in boardrooms for beach views. Announcing her resignation on LinkedIn, Parsons will not function CEO and COO, but will as a substitute “enjoy island living” with her family. While this legal drama continues, it’s disappointing that big names in tech haven’t come out in support of Fearless Fund.