Science & Technology

A diverse team will make your startup more successful with Leah Solivan, Taskrabbit l Build Mode

If one thing has become clear this season, finding the right talent for your team isn’t as easy as picking from a pile of resumes This week’s guest is Leah Solivan, the founder of Taskrabbit and now an early-stage investor who has seen that the power to change a homogenous startup exosystem comes from empowering…

Published

4 months ago

April 2, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

From bootstrapping TaskRabbit on credit cards to scaling it into one of the defining companies of the gig economy, Leah learned firsthand that the hardest part of building a company isn’t the product, it’s selecting the right people to build it.

In this episode, Isabelle Johannessen and Leah unpack what it really takes to build diverse teams from day one and why most companies get it wrong by waiting too long. They also explore how the lack of diversity in venture capital directly shapes who gets funded, and ultimately, who gets hired.

Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.

TechCrunch Disrupt: If you’re thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we’re back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.

Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.

Chapters:
00:00 The hard way to hire diverse talent
01:20 From engineer to Taskrabbit founder
03:39 The moment that sparked Taskrabbit
07:39 Why building teams is the hardest part
12:06 Learning how to hire from scratch
17:36 Why venture capital lacks diversity
27:25 How to build diverse teams from day one
39:42 What founders get wrong about competition

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

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3 Comments

@jameslobosco36

April 2, 2026 at 8:33 am

Diverse ? How about BEST QUALIFIED ?

Reply
- @adityamwagh
  
  April 2, 2026 at 4:26 pm
  
  You want a good balance of ego and talent. Best qualified and ego go hand in hand.
  
  Reply
@biswas316

April 2, 2026 at 8:46 am

So now talent and hard work doesn’t matter but diversity matter 🤣🤣🤣

Reply

CNET

Unboxing the $120 Clicks Power Keyboard

Let your thumbs fly! 👍🏽 The Clicks Power Keyboard works on iPhone and Android phones with Qi wireless charging, like the iPhone Air or iPhone Pro Max as well as the Pixel 10 Pro. Not only is it a nifty Bluetooth keyboard, it can also charge your phone with its 2300mAh battery. Let’s unbox it…

Published

12 hours ago

August 5, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

Let your thumbs fly! 👍🏽

The Clicks Power Keyboard works on iPhone and Android phones with Qi wireless charging, like the iPhone Air or iPhone Pro Max as well as the Pixel 10 Pro. Not only is it a nifty Bluetooth keyboard, it can also charge your phone with its 2300mAh battery. Let’s unbox it with CNET Director of Content Patrick Holland.

📽️: Faith Chihil #allthingsmobile #unboxing #clickskeyboard #clicks #keyboard #clickspowerkeyboard

Science & Technology

Lightspeed is building its edge on followers, not just funds | Equity Podcast

Published

16 hours ago

August 5, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

Venture firms are turning to creators to build trust with the next generation of founders before a check is ever written. It’s a trend that’s been building with a16z’s acquisition of Erik Torenberg’s Turpentine podcast and OpenAI’s acquisition of TBPN. Lightspeed Venture Partners just made its own notable hire in that vein, bringing on Claire Zau, a seed investor with a major following on Instagram and TikTok, to source deals and co-host the firm’s new show, Lightwork, alongside CMO Josh Machiz.

On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Dominic-Madori Davis is joined by Zau and Machiz to dive deep into whether the “creator-investor” is becoming a real function in venture or just something firms are still trying to figure out.

Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

1:03 Getting hired…via Instagram DM

3:36 Creating for the tech-curious, not just tech Twitter

8:12 What Instagram taught Claire about Gen Z and AI

10:44 Does audience feedback shape investment decisions?

11:19 Do founders now expect investors to be creators?

13:13 Inside the editing grind: hours per video

15:42 Who’s actually doing creator VC well right now

18:52 The risk of being taken less seriously

21:41 Measuring ROI: brand awareness and founder conversion

27:41 What’s next for Lightspeed’s media empire

29:22 Outro

CNET

Google Demos Google Glass in 2012 by Jumping Out of a Plane | CNET Archives

At Google I/O in June, 2012, co-founder Sergey Brin showcased Project Glass by streaming live Hangout footage of skydivers jumping from a plane while wearing the smart spectacles. Read more about it on CNET.com Everything We Know About Google’s Upcoming Smart Glasses Ahead of I/O 0:00 Sergey Brin interrupts the presentation for a special demo…

Published

1 day ago

August 5, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

At Google I/O in June, 2012, co-founder Sergey Brin showcased Project Glass by streaming live Hangout footage of skydivers jumping from a plane while wearing the smart spectacles.

Read more about it on CNET.com
Everything We Know About Google’s Upcoming Smart Glasses Ahead of I/O

0:00 Sergey Brin interrupts the presentation for a special demo
0:46 Sergey connects with skydivers via a Google Glass Hangout
1:58 The view from a mile above the Moscone Center
2:49 The airplane doors open
3:15 Skydivers exit the plane and fly over San Francisco
4:02 Parachutes deploy
5:07 Skydivers land on the roof of the Moscone Center
6:01 Bikers receive the Google Glass unit on the roof
6:21 Rappelling down the side of the building
7:05 The final bike ride through the conference hall
7:37 The Google Glass unit successfully arrives on stage

Video Credits
Video Editor – Vatsal Upadhyay
Thumbnail Designer – Tharon Green

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#google #smartglasses #skydiving #googleglass #googleio #sergeybrin