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StrictlyVC Download: Why Eric Slesinger, a former CIA officer, is now funding European defense tech

Today, we’re bringing you an episode of our sister podcast, StrictlyVC Download () . StrictlyVC’s Alex Gove caught up with Eric Slesinger from 201 Ventures () , a venture capital firm focused on seed-stage defense tech startups in Europe. They discuss Eric’s journey from CIA to investor and how he recognized the untapped potential in…

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Today, we’re bringing you an episode of our sister podcast, StrictlyVC Download () .

StrictlyVC’s Alex Gove caught up with Eric Slesinger from 201 Ventures () , a venture capital firm focused on seed-stage defense tech startups in Europe. They discuss Eric’s journey from CIA to investor and how he recognized the untapped potential in European defense tech while others were dismissive, and how he’s working to overcome the cultural taboo that once made defense investments “bad manners” in European VC circles.

Equity will be back on Friday with our weekly news roundup, so stay tuned!

Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday. 

Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts () , Overcast () , Spotify () and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X () and Threads () , at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes here () .

Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We’d also like to thank TechCrunch’s audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we’ll talk to you next time.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ()

Science & Technology

Intero Biosystems Wins Startup Battlefield for its Lab-Grown Digestive Systems

Congrats to Intero Biosystems, this year’s Startup Battlefield 200 victor! They’re developing lab-grown tissue that mimics our digestive system, to study how drugs and compounds effect our bodies…before they effect our bodies.

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Congrats to Intero Biosystems, this year’s Startup Battlefield 200 victor!

They’re developing lab-grown tissue that mimics our digestive system, to study how drugs and compounds effect our bodies…before they effect our bodies.

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Science & Technology

Bluesky’s Leadership Thinks Social Can Still Start Over | Disrupt 2026

Can social media enter a new era? With a new leadership team at the helm, Bluesky is betting that openness, user choice, and new technology can reshape how online communities are built. CEO Toni Schneider and COO Rose Wang discuss the future of social media, competing with established platforms, and what it takes to build…

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Can social media enter a new era? With a new leadership team at the helm, Bluesky is betting that openness, user choice, and new technology can reshape how online communities are built. CEO Toni Schneider and COO Rose Wang discuss the future of social media, competing with established platforms, and what it takes to build the next generation of consumer technology.

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Why Most Deep Tech Startups Stall Between Prototype and Production | Disrupt 2026

Founders may have the right team and tech and still miss what it takes to manufacture and scale. Bedrock Robotics’ Kevin Peterson and Foxglove’s Adrian Macneil share what they’ve learned about crossing that gap. #TechCrunchDisrupt2026 Follow us across… Read more:

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Founders may have the right team and tech and still miss what it takes to manufacture and scale. Bedrock Robotics’ Kevin Peterson and Foxglove’s Adrian Macneil share what they’ve learned about crossing that gap.

#TechCrunchDisrupt2026

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