How many startups shut down last year compared to the year before? A lot

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Hello, and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines.

This is our interview show, where we sit down with a guest, think about their work, and unpack the rest. This week, Mary Ann interviewed Roger Lee, an entrepreneur who’s spent the better part of a decade building tools for employees and employers alike. Lee is an angel investor as well as the creator of Layoffs.FYI and co-founder of Comprehensive and Human Interest.

Roger joined us on the show last year in the wake of 2022’s tech layoffs, but this week we’re focusing on the business of shutting down and why investors are lining up to back startups in the space, including Roger.

We also talked about:

• Just how many more companies shut down in 2023 compared to 2022 (spoiler alert, it was a lot!).

• How many more layoffs we saw last year compared to years prior.

• The types of companies winding down and laying off.

• How his work is tied to all of it and the role of AI.

Equity will be back on Monday for our weekly kickoff show, but don't forget to keep up with us in the meantime on X and Threads @EquityPod.

For episode transcripts and more, head to Equity’s Simplecast website.

Equity drops at 7 a.m. PT every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. TechCrunch also has a great show on crypto, a show that interviews founders and more!