# The ‘together tech’ wave might be the most intriguing startup bet of 2026 > Source: > Published: 2026-06-05 14:00:00+00:00 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. On this episode of TechCrunch’s[ Equity](https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/) podcast, 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. Listen to the full episode to hear: - Why ex-Meta CTO Mike Schroepfer [raised $250 million for climate tech specifically](https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/01/zigging-when-most-are-zagging-ex-meta-cto-raises-250m-climate-fund/), at a moment when almost nobody else is - How rocket engine startup [Impulse raised $500 million](https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/02/rocket-engine-startup-impulse-raises-500-million-to-hire-people-not-ai/)— and is loudly emphasizing that those funds will be spent on people, not AI [A look inside Anthropic’s S-1](https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/01/anthropic-files-to-go-public/), and what the team is looking forward to once we can finally compare the AI labs’ financials - What [two YouTube directors cracking the box office](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/31/this-weekends-two-biggest-movies-were-both-directed-by-youtubers/)tells us about creator economy power 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.