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The new competition for your cap table | Equity Podcast

The VC middleman is getting cut out faster than anyone expected. Family offices and private wealth firms are going direct: writing checks, taking board seats, even incubating companies from scratch. And more founders are starting to notice. In February alone, family offices made 41 direct investments, including one Midwest-based firm that led a $230 million…

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The VC middleman is getting cut out faster than anyone expected. Family offices and private wealth firms are going direct: writing checks, taking board seats, even incubating companies from scratch. And more founders are starting to notice. In February alone, family offices made 41 direct investments, including one Midwest-based firm that led a $230 million Series B into an AI chip startup.

On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan caught up with Mitch Stein and Ari Schottenstein, founder and head of alternatives at ARENA Private Wealth, to find out what this shift means for founders, cap tables, and the future of AI investment.

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

03:13 Why family offices are going direct now

06:03 The gen 2 & gen 3 family office shift

07:22 Is this strategic or just AI FOMO?

10:17 How Arena got into the Positron deal

14:30 Why founders want private wealth on their cap table

18:31 Due diligence on technical companies

21:56 Red flags founders should watch for

25:04 Are VCs threatened by this trend?

27:47 Taking board seats & level of involvement

34:17 Outro

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CNET

Electric Dirt Bikes Are Changing Everything | Gas vs. Electric

Are electric dirt bikes finally ready to replace traditional gas-powered machines? We explore the rapid rise of e-motos and compare them with gas dirt bikes. Featuring the Segway Xaber 300 and real-world racing insights from events like the Red Bull Erzberg Rocket Ride, we cover both the game-changing advantages and current limitations, like range and…

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Are electric dirt bikes finally ready to replace traditional gas-powered machines? We explore the rapid rise of e-motos and compare them with gas dirt bikes. Featuring the Segway Xaber 300 and real-world racing insights from events like the Red Bull Erzberg Rocket Ride, we cover both the game-changing advantages and current limitations, like range and charging infrastructure. Are you sticking with gas forever, or are you ready to make the switch to electric?

You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below
Segway Xaber 300 eDirt Bike – Red
*Cnet may get commission on this offer.

Read more about it on CNET.com
CES 2026: Segway Debuts 2 New E-Bikes and an e-Dirtbike Along With New Accessories

0:00 Intro: The Electric Dirt Bike Revolution
0:45 Weight & Agility
1:36 Convenience & Zero Maintenance
1:59 Noise Levels & Trail Access
2:53 Instant Torque & Performance Modes
3:28 Pro Racing & Podium Sweeps
4:10 Limitations: Range & Charging Infrastructure
5:29 Final Verdict: Are E-Motos the Future?

Video Credits:
Host: Dillon Lopez
Scripted by: Dillon Lopez
Producer: Dillon Lopez
Camera: Dillon Lopez
Video Editor: Dillon Lopez
Thumbnail Designer: Cole Kan

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#emoto #motorcycle #segways

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CNET

Celebrating Windows 95’s Birthday | CNET Archives

CNET’s initial impression was that Windows 95 would have a major impact, thanks to features like long file names, the taskbar and the Recycle Bin. Explore this vintage review. 0:00 The Windows 95 Hype and Cultural Phenomenon 0:45 Initial Skepticism and the Mac User Perspective 0:59 CNET Reality Check: Expert Panel Introduction 1:33 Hardware Requirements:…

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CNET’s initial impression was that Windows 95 would have a major impact, thanks to features like long file names, the taskbar and the Recycle Bin. Explore this vintage review.

0:00 The Windows 95 Hype and Cultural Phenomenon
0:45 Initial Skepticism and the Mac User Perspective
0:59 CNET Reality Check: Expert Panel Introduction
1:33 Hardware Requirements: 386/486 vs. Pentium Reality
2:05 Hard Drive Space Demands
2:18 Plug and Play: “Plug and Pray” vs. Reality
2:52 The Windows 95 vs. Mac Debate
3:33 The New Interface: Goodbye Program/File Manager, Hello Explorer
4:04 Understanding the Taskbar and “My Computer”

Video Credits:
Video Editor: Vatsal Upadhyay
Thumbnail Designer: Cole Kan

Add CNET as a trusted news source
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:
Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
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#windows95 #birthday #microsoft

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Science & Technology

A Cosmologist’s Guide to the End of the Universe | Katie Mack and Debbie Millman | TED

How does studying the end of time change your perspective of life on Earth? Cosmologist and TED Fellow Katie Mack joins designer and podcaster Debbie Millman to talk about the story of the cosmos — from the Big Bang’s ancient light still glowing across the universe to the five ways it might all come to…

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How does studying the end of time change your perspective of life on Earth? Cosmologist and TED Fellow Katie Mack joins designer and podcaster Debbie Millman to talk about the story of the cosmos — from the Big Bang’s ancient light still glowing across the universe to the five ways it might all come to an end — plus what aerobatic flying taught her about staying present. (Recorded at TEDNext 2025 on November 10, 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 videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with the TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), submit a request at

#TED #TEDTalks #Astronomy

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