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You don’t need to be an AI startup to raise. Lucra has $20M to prove it. | Equity Podcast

Slapping “AI” on your startup’s pitch deck is basically table stakes right now. When a founder raised $20 million from Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest for an eSports gamification loyalty startup without those two letters in the spotlight, it got us wondering how the conversation even started — especially when ARK had already been burned by…

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3 months ago

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Slapping “AI” on your startup’s pitch deck is basically table stakes right now. When a founder raised $20 million from Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest for an eSports gamification loyalty startup without those two letters in the spotlight, it got us wondering how the conversation even started — especially when ARK had already been burned by a company operating in the same space.

On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Julie Bort sits down with Dylan Robbins, founder and CEO of Lucra, the white-label platform turning friendly competitions into loyalty programs for brands like golf courses, arcades, and pickleball clubs.

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

1:43 How Lucra works

4:10 Meeting ARK Invest over darts and landing the Series B

7:24 Pitching a non-AI startup during peak AI mania

10:41 The growth metrics that won investors over

13:02 Overcoming ARK’s bad experience with Skillz and the B2B pivot

20:43 What’s next: the mini games vertical

29:25 Outro

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. @jeffcraymore

    May 20, 2026 at 6:07 pm

    Series B, you are not a startup. You have serious customers and active growth. And he said that. Over years. That’s not a startup.

    Reply

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CNET

A Robot That Can Fly and Swim Like a Bird | #WhatTheFuture

This robotic creation from MIT is based on aquatic birds that can both dive into the ocean waters as well as soar into the sky. Video Credits: Producer: Jesse Orrall Video Editor: Jon Gomez Add CNET as a trusted news source Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉 Check out CNET’s Amazon…

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This robotic creation from MIT is based on aquatic birds that can both dive into the ocean waters as well as soar into the sky.

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Producer: Jesse Orrall
Video Editor: Jon Gomez

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Galaxy Z Fold 8 Review: Why This Is My Favorite New Foldable | All Things Mobile

Samsung’s passport-sized phone is built for all your scrolling, binge-watching and reading. The $1,900 price is steep, but it has some strong selling points that won me over. You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Unlocked Cell Phone Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra Phone *Cnet may…

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Samsung’s passport-sized phone is built for all your scrolling, binge-watching and reading. The $1,900 price is steep, but it has some strong selling points that won me over.

You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Unlocked Cell Phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra Phone
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Read more about it on CNET.com
Galaxy Z Fold 8 Review: A Passport-Size Shape-Shifter for Every Moment
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7:18 Verdict: Is It Worth It?

Video Credits:
Host: Abrar Al-Heeti
Camera Operator: Celso Bulgatti
Video Editor: Dillon Lopez
Thumbnail Designer: Zooey Liao

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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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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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