Amplifying Success: Amazon Partnering with One Medical & Whole Foods to Streamline Shelf Space
Hello and welcome back to Equity, where we unpack the numbers and nuances behind the headlines. This week, Alex Wilhelm, Natasha Mascarenhas, and Mary Ann Azevedo are joined by Grace for our weekly roundup show. As is customary, news broke as they were gearing up to record, prompting a quick pivot to discuss it right at the start.
The first story to hit them was the huge Amazon–One Medical deal. Naturally, all hands were on deck—figuratively and literally. They debated everything from the potential implications of this merger to its impact on employees and stakeholders. The discussions were intense, but they managed to stay professional, even as the pressure mounted.
After wrapping up their initial conversation, the team moved on to other topics, including Crunchbase, which had raised a new $50 million round. This caught them off guard, as it was their former employer—Equity itself—and they were quick to analyze its potential. Was this the start of something great for Crunchbase? Would they support its efforts to build an NFT-powered, decentralized IRL library using blockchain technology and a DAO? The team debated these questions extensively, and while they were generally optimistic about Crunchbase’s future, they couldn’t shake the feeling that the DAO might be overhyped.
Next up was ForSight, which had just announced the launch of its eye-surgery robots. This caught them by surprise as well, given Natasha’s recent robotics panel discussion at a tech conference. The team split their opinions on this one—Natasha and Mary were bullish, while Alex expressed some skepticism about the practicality of such technology in real-world medical settings. The conversation quickly turned to whether ForSight was setting itself up for success or if there were hidden risks they hadn’t considered.
The discussion then shifted to venture capital, with the team catching up on the latest developments in the space. They covered a range of topics, from new venture funds making waves to the end of Modsy (or was it?) and a few stories tied to the ongoing Ukraine crisis. Among these, Google’s $24.75 billion fine for violations of antitrust laws stood out as particularly significant. The team debated whether this move would have a lasting impact on the company’s operations or if it would merely be a short-term distraction in their long-term strategy.
As the podcast continued, they touched on Preply, which had just raised a new funding round, and how solar power could potentially play a role in countering fascism-related challenges globally. They also explored the idea of using renewable energy to combat political instability in regions like Ukraine, highlighting the potential for innovation in addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues.
The team then turned their attention back to the podcast schedule, reminding listeners that Equity drops every Monday at 7 a.m. PDT and on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6 a.m. PDT. They encouraged listeners to subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and other platforms for weekly updates and episode highlights.
To wrap up the show, they revisited some of their favorite episodes from past seasons, including “Social media should be built on protocols, not platforms”, where the host discussed Mastodon’s leadership in decentralized communication, as well as a special episode about the challenges faced by AI in creative industries. They also highlighted Equity’s commitment to exploring cutting-edge technologies and their impact on society at large.
With that, Alex, Natasha, and Mary Ann closed the show, promising listeners more episodes packed with insights, discussions, and innovative ideas every week. They couldn’t wait for the next round of news to break and dive into it again.
End of Episode.
