Where VCs think AI startups can win, even with OpenAI in the game

Vanessa Larcopartner at Statement and former partner at NEA, thinks 2026 will finally be the year of consumer AI.

Larco, who has been investing in consumers and prosumers for years, thinks we are about to see a shift in the way consumers spend time online, with AI powering “concierge-like” services. The question is: will legacy consumer products like WebMD and TripAdvisor continue to exist as standalone apps, or will they simply merge into ChatGPT or Meta AI? And where can startups create an AI-powered niche for themselves?

Watch TechCrunch’s Rebecca Bellan speak with Larco on Equity to talk about why the consumer is back, what won’t kill OpenAI, and where the real opportunities lie.

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