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AI could be the solution for bureaucracy with Emilie Poteat from Advocate

Applying for government benefits is a slow, tedious process that often leaves applicants in limbo for several months.  Advocate () looks to help. Today on Found Becca and Dom are talking with Advocate’s founder Emilie Poteat, the company that helps Americans engage with federal benefits programs through its technology-enabled services platform. In this episode they…

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Applying for government benefits is a slow, tedious process that often leaves applicants in limbo for several months.  Advocate () looks to help. Today on Found Becca and Dom are talking with Advocate’s founder Emilie Poteat, the company that helps Americans engage with federal benefits programs through its technology-enabled services platform. In this episode they discuss how the Advocate team is using AI to automate advocacy and get the wait time for people seeking aid to nearly nothing.They also talked about:
 

• Where Poteat ultimately found fundraising success
• How the government has reacted to a small startup seeking to automate such an embedded bureaucratic process
• Why AI is the best tool in the technological shed to work with the mass amounts of rules and data required to navigate the social security system
• How the team is implementing the security measures needed when dealing with such sensitive information

(0:00) Introduction

(4:16) the status quo of applying for government aid

(8:56) Automating government services

(13:13) using AI to automate advocacy

(18:29) Finding the right investor fit

(24:13) Hiring for a social impact company

(30:00) Collaborating with government agencies

(32:00) Host discussion

Found posts every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple () , Spotify () or wherever you listen to podcasts () to be alerted when new episodes drop. Check out the other TechCrunch podcasts: Equity () and Chain Reaction () .

 

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People & Blogs

Would your cat would give you a paw-sitive review?#TEDTalks

There’s a simple way to increase your cat’s happiness, says animal behaviorist Nicky Trevorrow. She explains the importance of play for our feline friends — and for basically any species (looking at you, dog lovers!) — and shares specific, actionable strategies to boost your cat’s mental and physical health.

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12 hours ago

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August 9, 2026

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There’s a simple way to increase your cat’s happiness, says animal behaviorist Nicky Trevorrow. She explains the importance of play for our feline friends — and for basically any species (looking at you, dog lovers!) — and shares specific, actionable strategies to boost your cat’s mental and physical health.

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People & Blogs

Why Overtourism Could Ruin Your Next Vacation | Suresh Subudhi | TED

When was your last unforgettable trip? Travel industry expert Suresh Subudhi believes joyful moments of connection are the reason we explore the world — but with vacation hotspots overrun and locals pushed to the brink, tourists have become unwelcome guests. Proposing a new way to use technology to stop loving our favorite destinations to death,…

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16 hours ago

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August 9, 2026

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When was your last unforgettable trip? Travel industry expert Suresh Subudhi believes joyful moments of connection are the reason we explore the world — but with vacation hotspots overrun and locals pushed to the brink, tourists have become unwelcome guests. Proposing a new way to use technology to stop loving our favorite destinations to death, he shows what travel could look like if we got it right. (Recorded at TED@BCG on October 23, 2025)

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The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less) — plus originals, podcasts and exclusive content. Look for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design as well as science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit for our entire library, transcripts, translations and personalized recommendations.

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#TED #TEDTalks #Travel

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CNET

Meet the Flying, Swimming Robot Inspired by Aquatic Birds | What The Future

Researchers at MIT have created a new robot inspired by aquatic birds that uses waterproof wings to transition from flying to swimming. Watch more What The Future videos on CNET.com Video Credits: Host: Jesse Orrall Video Editor: Jon Gomez Thumbnail Designer: Cole Kan Footage: MIT Add CNET as a trusted news source Never miss a…

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19 hours ago

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August 9, 2026

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Researchers at MIT have created a new robot inspired by aquatic birds that uses waterproof wings to transition from flying to swimming.

Watch more What The Future videos on CNET.com

Video Credits:
Host: Jesse Orrall
Video Editor: Jon Gomez
Thumbnail Designer: Cole Kan
Footage: MIT

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#robot #robotics #birds #aquaticbirds #science #innovation #research

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