{"id":45588,"date":"2023-10-13T18:00:28","date_gmt":"2023-10-13T18:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/13\/week-2-of-the-sam-bankman-fried-trial-wraps-up-techcrunch\/"},"modified":"2023-10-13T18:00:28","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T18:00:28","slug":"week-2-of-the-sam-bankman-fried-trial-wraps-up-techcrunch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/13\/week-2-of-the-sam-bankman-fried-trial-wraps-up-techcrunch\/","title":{"rendered":"Week 2 of the Sam Bankman-Fried trial wraps up | TechCrunch"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Good morning! I\u2019m Karyne Levy, managing editor of TechCrunch+, and I\u2019m very excited to be here.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got quite a lineup for you today, beginning with some key moments from the Sam Bankman-Fried trial. Our reporter Jacquelyn Melinek has been at the courthouse every day; you can check out our coverage of the trial here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Full TechCrunch+ articles are only available to members.
Use discount code TCPLUSROUNDUP<\/strong><\/a> to save 20% off a one- or two-year subscription.<\/i><\/p>\n\n

This week, Caroline Ellison, ex-CEO of Alameda Research and SBF\u2019s former girlfriend, took the stand. She explained how she cooked the books to make Alameda\u2019s finances look a lot cleaner than they actually were. \u201cWe were in a bad situation,\u201d is how she aptly put it.<\/p>\n

Thanks for reading!<\/p>\n

Karyne<\/p>\n

@karynelevy<\/a><\/p>\n

Ask Sophie: Can a bootstrapping solo founder get an O-1A?<\/h2>\n
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Image Credits:<\/strong> Bryce Durbin\/TechCrunch<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

I am a solo founder who is bootstrapping my startup to the point of traction before I even consider raising funding. It sounds like you need VC funding to get an O-1A \u2014 is that true? Is it even possible for me to consider getting an O-1A at this stage?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u2014 Bold Bootstrapper<\/strong><\/p>\n

More money won\u2019t fix your failing startup \u2014 here\u2019s how to get investors to back a pivot<\/h2>\n
\"Pencil<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong> MirageC (opens in a new window)<\/span><\/a> \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

If your startup isn\u2019t seeing the kind of traction or growth that you expect, sometimes the best way forward is to actually take a detour and see if there\u2019s some other need you can fulfill.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your company isn\u2019t seeing strong growth with customers eager to use the product and share it with others, it might be time to pivot the company in a new direction,\u201d says Sarah Leary, a venture partner at Unusual Ventures.<\/p>\n

Leary\u2019s advice is material, because she\u2019s pulled off a successful pivot before: She co-founded Fanbase, a site for fans of different sports to congregate and share information over a network. But when that idea didn\u2019t scale, the team quickly pivoted and started Nextdoor.<\/p>\n

Leary lays out five actionable tips that can help founders considering a pivot to do it correctly, and get their investors on board with the new plan.<\/p>\n

We asked 52 founders whether events are useful or a waste of time<\/h2>\n
\"events,<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong> BrianAJackson \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Events can be a great resource for founders: You get to network, learn what\u2019s going on in your industry, get a read of the market, find customers and so much more.<\/p>\n

But are they really worth all the money and effort, not to mention the time you could otherwise be spending actually building your startup?<\/p>\n

To find out, Rebecca Szkutak asked founders how they feel about founder-focused events, what they find useful about them and what they think makes them a colossal waste of time.<\/p>\n

Deal Dive: The future of social media is vertical<\/h2>\n
\"social<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong> We Are \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Social media is very different today from what it was just five years ago. Leaving out what\u2019s happened to X, formerly Twitter (no one could have predicted that), disinformation is now as common as memes, dialogue is more partisan than ever, and it\u2019s hard to avoid recommendations (they\u2019re actually ads) everywhere.<\/p>\n

So it\u2019s not surprising that people are flocking to more focused communities that cater to their interests or gives them a place to feel safe in an internet that\u2019s increasingly hateful and divisive.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would someone from a marginalized group scroll through irrelevant content, hate and bots to find their community when there\u2019s already a dedicated space elsewhere?\u201d writes Rebecca Szkutak.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor social media investors, it\u2019s likely the future riches will be in the niches.\u201d<\/p>\n

Get the TechCrunch+ Roundup newsletter in your inbox!<\/h2>\n

\"sign<\/p>\n

To receive the TechCrunch+ Roundup as an email each Tuesday and Friday, scroll down to find the \u201csign up for newsletters\u201d section on this page, select \u201cTechCrunch+ Roundup,\u201d enter your email, and click \u201csubscribe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Click here to subscribe<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Zendesk emerges from last year\u2019s turbulence with strong outlook<\/h2>\n
\"Illustration<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong> BrownAlex \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Zendesk didn\u2019t look so hot at the end of 2022: It rejected a $17 billion takeover bid, and its own investors rejected a $4.1 billion offer to buy SurveyMonkey \u2014 all in the same month. But with a new CEO at the helm, the present (and the future) is looking better and better.<\/p>\n

Bedrock Energy thinks the solution to decarbonizing skyscrapers is 1,500 feet underground<\/h2>\n
\"A<\/p>\n

Image Credits:<\/strong> Yongyuan Dai \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

One of my favorite pieces of climate tech is a heat pump, which is at least three times more efficient than traditional heating. I don\u2019t have one in my home, but after a year of big weather events in the Bay Area, and astronomical heating bills, heat pumps are looking better and better. But what about bigger buildings? Bedrock Energy is betting that underground heat pumps, known as geothermal heat pumps, could help decarbonize heating and cooling for large buildings around the country.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n