The Equity podcast crew had another eventful week. They discussed real estate, AI agents, gambling, and secondary markets. These markets are a form of legalized gambling.
Mary Ann Azevedo, Becca Szkutak, and Devin Coldewey started this Friday’s episode. They acknowledged that the X/Twitter ban situation in Brazil might be too complicated to have an opinion on. They decided to think about it.
Devin discussed You.com’s $50 million investment to tackle more difficult AI tasks. These tasks can’t be solved with a simple Google search. Becca shared DubClub’s goal to organize professional betting handicappers. These individuals claim they can beat the odds, but their services are usually informal. Can DubClub turn this popular, but legally complex, business into a legitimate one?
Mary Ann mentioned Paylocity’s acquisition of Airbase for $325 million. The actual value of the deal may be even higher. Landian intends to make flat fees and pay-on-close the standard in real estate, challenging the traditional percentage fees.
Investing in AI is trendy, with people even investing in investors who invest in AI on the secondary market. Positions on companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, and xAI are selling at a 30% premium. This gives equity holders flexibility and smaller investors a chance to ride the hype train. However, Devin likened it to a “beanie baby economy.”
Equity is TechCrunch’s main podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo. New episodes are released every Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and other platforms. Follow Equity on Twitter and Threads at @EquityPod. Access episode transcripts on Simplecast for those who prefer reading.
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