The most interesting startups right now want to get you off your phone

Mirror founder Brynn Putnam raised $20 million for Board, a startup creating in-person games and social experiences, as a wave of founders build technology designed to reduce screen time. Cyberdeck creators are going viral on TikTok with DIY computers that encourage outdoor activity, signaling a shift toward human-centered tech rather than just AI backlash. The trend reflects genuine consumer gravitation toward products that foster real-world connection, even as Alphabet raises $80 billion for its AI business.

While the AI fundraising machine keeps breaking its own records https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/03/alphabets-record-breaking-85b-raise-for-googles-ai-business-is-a-helluva-good-signal/ , some founders are building in the other direction. Mirror founder Brynn Putnam just raised money for Board https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/02/board-the-new-game-startup-from-mirror-founder-brynn-putnam-raises-20m-has-already-sold-thousands/ , a startup focused on bringing people together through in-person games and social experiences. Cyberdeck creators are going viral https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/02/cyberdeck-tiktok-trend-reject-big-tech/ crafting whimsical DIY computers that literally encourage users to touch grass. Unlike the AI-free browser crowd https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/01/duckduckgo-makes-its-no-ai-search-engine-easier-to-access-as-its-traffic-booms/ , this doesn’t just feel like backlash, but also people genuinely gravitating toward things that feel a little more human. Watch Equity https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/ podcast hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane dig into the week’s headlines, from the “together tech” wave to what Anthropic’s confidential IPO filing means against the backdrop of Alphabet’s $80 billion AI raise, and whether the money is all flowing back to the big guys anyway. Subscribe to Equity on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch , Apple Podcasts https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780 , Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity , Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul g94iCRgpQ and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X https://twitter.com/EquityPod and Threads https://www.threads.net/@equitypod , at @EquityPod.