StyleSeat co-founder and CEO Melody McCloskey talks about the growth of her company, as well as the lack of women in Silicon Valley boardrooms. StyleSeat allows users to find spas and salons and book appointments, while also allowing those businesses to grow.
McCloskey says the StyleSeat platform empowers beauty professionals, which in turn means it empowers women since 75% of workers in the industry are female. The CEO says fundraising was very hard in the beginning since it was nothing VCs had ever seen before.
McCloskey addresses the accusations of sexism and harassment surrounding Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, who was an early investor in StyleSeat. McCloskey explains all of her interactions with Kalanick have been "very supportive." McCloskey can't talk about revenue goals but says StyleSeat has been profitable for a while now.
Ali Kashani, CEO of Serve Robotics, dives into their $63.3M acquisition of Vayu Robotics and how it's accelerating the future of autonomous delivery systems.
Rebecca Bellan, Senior Reporter at TechCrunch, dives into ChatGPT’s GPT‑5 release—what’s new, what’s controversial, and why this model could change the game.
Ben Sherry, Staff Reporter at Inc. Magazine, breaks down how Cognizant’s unique acquisition of the Windsurf team signals a shift in AI talent and M&A strategy.
Atomic-6 CEO Trevor Smith unveils ultralight rocket parts & “Space Armor” composites, backed by ISS legend Chris Hadfield, revolutionizing debris defense.
