All posts tagged: Equity

The Trump administration might take an equity stake in OpenAI

The Trump administration might take an equity stake in OpenAI

Published by skeptic

President Donald Trump said on Friday that he’s spoken to AI companies about striking deals “where the American people can benefit from the success of AI.” Trump does not seem to have mentioned specific companies in his comments, but OpenAI is a likely candidate, especially after CNBC reported that the Trump administration has indeed been discussing an equity stake with the AI company. CNBC said some of that equity could be used to seed a “Public Wealth Fund” recently proposed by OpenAI. As outlined by the company, proceeds from the fund “could be distributed directly to citizens, allowing more people to participate directly in the upside of AI-driven growth, regardless of their starting wealth or access to capital.” According to Bloomberg, when reporters on Air Force One asked Trump about the idea, he replied that he’s been talking to AI executives about “concepts where pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner with the companies.” Bloomberg also reports that CEO Sam Altman has been discussing the idea …

What happens when companies become too AI-pilled?

What happens when companies become too AI-pilled?

Published by skeptic

The people deciding that AI can replace your job are also the ones least likely to understand what your job truly involves, according to Box founder Aaron Levie, who pointed to this as an example of “AI psychosis.” Indeed, ClickUp recently cut 22% of its workforce for AI agents, tech layoffs in 2026 are already nearly matching all of 2025, and DuckDuckGo installs are climbing from users who want Google to stop forcing AI into search and just give them links.  Watch as TechCrunch’s Equity podcast hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane dig into what happens when the AI-pilled and the AI-skeptical are both right at the same time, plus three deals worth knowing about and Waymo’s new robotaxi hitting the road.  Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod.  Source link

Nvidia has already committed B to equity AI deals this year

Nvidia has already committed $40B to equity AI deals this year

Published by skeptic

Nvidia continues to be a major investor in the AI ecosystem, committing more than $40 billion to equity investments in AI companies — and that’s just in these early months of 2026, according to CNBC. Much of that total comes from a single bet, a $30 billion investment in OpenAI. But CNBC reports that the chipmaker has also announced seven multi-billion dollar investments in publicly traded companies, most recently deals to invest up to $3.2 billion in glassmaker Corning and up to $2.1 billion in data center operator IREN. We’ve previously rounded up Nvidia’s investments in AI startups, including 67 venture deals in 2025. And according to FactSet data, it’s already participated in around two dozen investment rounds in private startups in 2026. The fact that Nvidia has been investing in some of its own customers has led to the recurring criticism that these are circular deals moving money back-and-forth between the same companies. Wedbush Securities analyst Matthew Bryson said Nvidia’s investments fall “squarely into the circular investment theme,” but suggested that if successful, they …

Using equity to save money for grandchildren

Using equity to save money for grandchildren

Published by Sam Flores

1. Put down a house deposit In January 2026, the Land Registry House Price Index shows the average price of a home in the UK was £268,421. At this level, a 10% deposit would be around £26,842, a significant sum. With wider cost-of-living pressures and maintaining a good quality of life, saving for this deposit could take several years. With a well-timed gift, grandparents could help their grandchildren with a step up onto the property ladder. 2. Fund further education Tuition fees are a hot topic right now with discussion around things like interest rates. Some grandparents might choose to help with tuition fees, or support with the overall living costs of moving away for university. Helping out grandchildren could mean more time spent studying and less time worrying about financial matters. 3. Help pay for a life event Grandparents could choose to help out with the significant life events, like a wedding. With a cash gift, your grandchildren could pay for their perfect venue, ensure the whole family can gather, or even go on …

Musely secures 0M from General Catalyst without giving up equity

Musely secures $360M from General Catalyst without giving up equity

Published by skeptic

Musely, a direct-to-consumer telemedicine platform, has secured over $360 million in non-dilutive capital from General Catalyst’s Customer Value Fund (CVF). The company specializes in compounded treatments for skin, hair, and menopause care. Musely co-founder and CEO Jack Jia told TechCrunch that when CVF investors reached out to him last year, he wasn’t looking to raise capital. That’s because Musely, which was founded in 2014 as a wellness community before pivoting to prescription skincare in 2019, has been cash flow positive for years, he said. Jia didn’t want to reduce his ownership in the company by selling off a chunk of it to VCs. They frequently approached him about a potential round and he consistently turned them down, he said. But unlike traditional venture capital, CVF wasn’t looking to take an equity stake, nor was it offering a loan that would carry interest rate charges. Instead, CVF’s alternative financing is similar to a tiny revenue-share agreement: Companies with predictable revenue streams borrow capital, and then repay the funds along with a fixed, capped percentage of revenue …

Why your favourite brands are suddenly failing | Private equity

Why your favourite brands are suddenly failing | Private equity

Published by Sam Flores

You’re not imagining it. Smaller portions. Higher prices. Worse service. It’s easy to blame inflation, but that’s not the full story. Over the last few decades, a financial model has quietly taken over huge parts of everyday life. From restaurants and retailers to vets and care homes, many of the brands we rely on are no longer being run as long-term businesses, but as investments designed to generate fast returns. In this video, Neelam Tailor breaks down how private equity actually works, why it’s grown so quickly, and how it can reshape the businesses you interact with every day. Source link

To buy this Bay Area home, you’ll need Anthropic equity

To buy this Bay Area home, you’ll need Anthropic equity

Published by skeptic

Someone’s offering an unusual deal for a 13-acre property in Mill Valley, just north of South Francisco. Homeowner and investment banker Storm Duncan has created a LinkedIn page for the home, which he said he’d “like to exchange […] for Anthropic equity.” The San Francisco Standard reports that Duncan described this as a “diversification play,” as he’s “under-concentrated in AI investments relative to the importance of AI in the future, and over-concentrated in real estate,” while a young Anthropic employee might be “in the exact opposite scenario.” Duncan is asking potential buyers to email him to discuss deal specifics, but he said it would be a private transaction that doesn’t require the buyer to sell their stock outright. On LinkedIn, he also said the homebuyer would “continue to retain 20% of the upside value of the shares exchanged for the duration of the lockup period.” Duncan, who described himself as a longtime Bay Area resident who moved to Miami during the pandemic, bought the property in 2019 for $4.75 million. It’s currently occupied by “a …

Bank of America Jumps On Record Equity Trading Revenue, Net Interest Income Forecast Increase, Offset By FICC Miss

Bank of America Jumps On Record Equity Trading Revenue, Net Interest Income Forecast Increase, Offset By FICC Miss

Published by Jenni Sidey

Following stellar equity trading results from Goldman and JPMorgan, this morning Bank of America reported that its traders also pulled in the business’s highest quarterly revenue in more than a decade, riding a wave of volatility that pushed the firm’s stock-trading desk to an all-time record. Bank of America said Q1 profit rose 17% from a year earlier, while net income came in at $8.58 billion. That amounted to $1.11 a share, above analyst estimates of $1.01. Revenue was 7% higher at $30.27 billion, driven by solid net interest income, sales and trading and investment banking fees.  Revenue from equity trading climbed 30% to $2.8 billion in the first quarter, beating expectations, while fixed-income trading, which fell short of a consensus of analyst estimates, rose less than 1% to $3.5 billion, similar to Goldman’s FICC miss. Bank have benetted from a volatile quarter, when the Iran war sent oil prices surging and concerns about artificial intelligence and private credit whipsawed stocks. Trading desks were already on a roll since President Donald Trump won the 2024 election, as …

TACO Vs TAW: Fade This (Equity) Rally

TACO Vs TAW: Fade This (Equity) Rally

Published by Jenni Sidey

Authored by Peter Tchir via Academy Securities, Ceasefire? The U.S., via Pakistan, and apparently consistent with negotiations being carried out by Witkoff and Kushner, has delivered a 15 point agreement for a ceasefire. Markets responded with oil down (Brent futures, at 5:30 am are back down below $100, from a high of $105 on Tuesday). Stock futures and treasuries are rebounding as well (even the 2-year, after the drubbing it took after yesterday’s auction noticeable for an absence of “direct” bids). Many of the Polymarket Strait of Hormuz “prediction” markets have barely moved in response to the ceasefire proposal announcement, fwiw. What to do? We Have Already Had Regime Change I think the most important thing said yesterday, was that the President, for the first time, made the case that the regime is so different (due to so many senior leaders being killed), there has been a regime change. We have argued, since day 1, that true regime change, without boots on the ground, etc., is difficult to achieve. Finding a powerful enough faction who wants to …