The Information's 411

Jessica sits down with journalist and Pivot host Kara Swisher to discuss what's wrong with Silicon Valley and next in news. 

Sand Hill Road has gone crypto-crazy, making it the best time ever to be a cryptocurrency or blockchain-based startup. Six such companies drew our attention enough to make it into this year’s The Information 50 list of promising startups. They range from an environmentally friendly cryptocurrency to the “picks and shovels” businesses enabling others to develop crypto products—such as nonfungible token marketplaces—or make sure they’re legally compliant. In today’s episode, executive editor Amir Efrati speaks with crypto reporter Hannah Miller about the startups that made the cut. Then Hannah talks to the co-founder of one of them—Audius, a blockchain-based music-streaming service trying to give musicians a bigger cut of streaming revenue. Its crypto tokens are already worth $1 billion collectively. Check out the final episode of our five-part series.

Cryptocurrency is soaking up attention, but financial services technologies involving fiat currency have also never been hotter. This week we continue our special five-episode series on The Information 50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion, by taking a look at five fintech startups that made the cut. In this episode, The Information’s Amir Efrati speaks with reporter Kate Clark about the startups that made our list, why “banking as a service” is on the rise, and why this year’s record $87 billion in fintech startup funding doesn’t represent the peak. Then Kate interviews Itai Damti, co-founder of Unit, the top startup on our list, and Henrique Dubugras, co-founder and co-CEO of corporate card startup Brex, about the fintech frenzy and what’s coming next.

This week we continue our special five-episode series on The Information 50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion, by taking a look at the B2B category. More than half the startups in this group reflect two big pandemic related trends: companies trying to control spending on subscription software apps, and their constant search for new employees.  The Information’s Amir Efrati talks to reporter Kevin McLaughlin about the six startups that made the cut and valuation trends in enterprise software. Efrati then talks to Jonathan Siddarth, founder and CEO of Turing, which helps companies hire pre-vetted, remote engineers from all over the world. Listen to find out why the fast-growing company, barely three year old, is No. 1 on our list.

This week we continue our special five episode series on The Information 50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion. In episode two, executive editor Amir Efrati first talks to reporter Malique Morris about commerce startups worth watching, including a budding rival to Shopify, a fashion marketplace and a facilitator of limited-edition merchandise “drops” for celebrities and shows such as “Succession." Next, Malique talks to Rachel Tipograph, founder and CEO of MikMak, an advertising-tech provider for consumer brands, which could be a beneficiary of Apple’s restrictions on iPhone advertisers.

This week, The Information released TI50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion. Over the next five episodes of The Information 411 podcast, you’ll hear from The Information reporters who put the list together and from the founders whose companies made the list. In episode one, executive editor Amir Efrati first talks to reporter Kevin McLaughlin about the companies in the list’s Enterprise AI category and how machine learning tools and services are proliferating and being applied in the real world. Next, Amir talks to Clement Delangue, co-founder and CEO of Hugging Face, the #1 ranked company in the Enterprise AI category. It’s a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Why are so many instant delivery startups popping up? Cory talks to The Information's Mark Di Stefano about the buzzy sector and one controversial company in particular, Gorillas. Then, Steve LeVine, author of the new The Information newsletter The Electric, explains the geopolitical dynamics in the battery industry.

What happens when a small town becomes a choke point for tens of thousands of Amazon deliveries every day? Cory talks to The Information’s Paris Martineau about what residents’ struggles in a small Massachusetts town tell us about the challenges of Amazon’s rapid physical expansion. Then, Hong Kong bureau chief Shai Oster explains why the Chinese government cracked down on ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing just after it went public.

Does one of the most storied venture capital firms need to adapt to a changing startup environment? Cory talks to The Information’s Berber Jin about his profile of Benchmark, known for a deliberative style that could handcuff it amid more fast-paced dealmaking. Then, Josh Sisco breaks down what the latest antitrust news means for Facebook and Amazon.

Why did Amazon fail to protect an employee who disclosed labor violations at a Foxconn factory that makes Amazon devices? Cory talks to The Information’s Wayne Ma about the lack of corporate whistleblower protections in China and why U.S. tech companies aren’t living up to their own standards in the manufacturing hub. Wayne broke the news this week that Amazon continues to work with the Foxconn factory, even after the whistleblower was sent to prison.

BuzzFeed might become the first of its generation of digital media upstarts to go public. How is CEO Jonah Peretti trying to grow the company? Cory talks to The Information's Jessica Toonkel and Sahil Patel about Peretti's consolidation strategy. Plus, reporter Paris Martineau discusses the implications of Amazon's growing air cargo fleet. 

It’s been a difficult couple of years for self-driving car developers trying to bring robotaxis to the public. How do they get out of the so-called "trough of disillusionment?" Listen to highlights of The Information’s Autonomous Vehicles Summit. Amir Efrati interviews Argo AI CEO Bryan Salesky and former Zoox CEO Tim Kentley Klay about where the industry goes from here. 

Amazon has been making big moves in Hollywood. What does that tell us about the company's new CEO Andy Jassy? Cory talks to The Information's Kevin McLaughlin and Jessica Toonkel about their recent reporting on what Amazon's incoming boss is up to. Then, Cory and senior editor Wendy Pollack discuss the downfall of Katerra, the SoftBank-backed construction startup that burned through $2 billion on its way to shutting down. 

Why are Instagram, Snap and TikTok rushing to build ways for influencers to make money? Cory talks to The Information’s Kaya Yurieff about what she is tracking with her new creator economy newsletter. Then, did the momentum shift in the Apple–Epic trial? Josh Sisco covered the trial for The Information, and explains how the judge might rule in the antitrust case.

Fast deliveries by Amazon and other online retailers have brought tremendous convenience for consumers, but the e-commerce boom has come at a cost. A five-month investigation by The Information identified a pattern of serious and sometimes deadly crashes involving drivers moving freight for Amazon. We explore the toll of Amazon’s trucking surge. Related stories: The Deadly Toll of the Amazon Trucking Boom Amazon Expands Secretive Trucking Program

The Information found evidence of Apple working with suppliers suspected of using forced labor. How? Cory talks to Wayne Ma about how he discovered Apple's links to the Xinjiang region of China. Then, an interview with scholar Laura T. Murphy about how tech companies can look for evidence of forced labor in their supply chains.  Read the story: Seven Apple Suppliers Accused of Using Forced Labor From Xinjiang

How is Mark Zuckerberg planning to revamp his public image? Cory talks to The Information's Sylvia Varnham O'Regan and Alex Heath about why Facebook's co-founder is going on another charm offensive. Then, Cory interviews Justin Bedecarre, CEO of Raise Commercial Real Estate, a Founders Fund-backed startup, about how tech firms are experimenting with sending their workers back to offices, with more flexibility to work from home. "Running a hybrid workplace is the hardest workplace to run," he said. 

Apple's app store in on trial. Will Epic Games be able to loosen Apple's grip on app developers? Cory talks to The Information's legal reporter Josh Sisco about how Apple got in this situation and why it's likely to pull out a victory next month. Then, Cory and The Information's senior editor Wendy Pollack discuss whether Philadelphia-based delivery startup Gopuff can ditch its juvenile reputation to reach a more mainstream audience. Further reading: Why Apple Has the Edge in Epic Antitrust Trial The Guardians of Apple’s App Store Gird for Battle Gopuff Revenue Triples, but Growing Competition to Test Expansion

Cory talks to Kate Clark about what her recent reporting on Andreessen Horowitz tells us about the firm's history and strategy to win deals. Then, Kevin McLaughlin discusses his story on why high-profile artificial intelligence startup DataRobot ousted its CEO. 

We dive into some of the tech questions facing the potential rollout of vaccine passports. Paul Meyer, CEO of the nonprofit Commons Project, discusses why it is important that people's proof of vaccination not get locked up in walled gardens. Then, Cory talks to The Information's Juro Osawa about Grab's $40 billion SPAC deal and Didi Chuxing's struggles to develop autonomous vehicles.