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To get a roundup of \u2019s biggest and most important stories delivered to your inbox every day at 3 p.m. PDT,<\/em> subscribe here<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n At , we love being a conduit for everything that happens in the startup ecosystem. This year, there\u2019s been a lot of layoffs, and we got to thinking, how can we help those who are struggling get back into the saddle? Our events team had a great idea: If you got laid off, we are offering a free Expo Pass to Disrupt, no strings attached. Come along, stay on the pulse of what\u2019s happening out in startup land, and say hi to a bunch of the crew to boot. We\u2019ll see you there! \u2014 Christine<\/a> and Haje<\/a><\/p>\n If you\u2019re reading this, you almost certainly have a complicated relationship with screens. Every year that passes, they become larger and increasingly present in our lives, Brian<\/a> writes. Meanwhile, we continue to embrace the technology all while complaining about the hold it has on our lives. The Freewrite Alpha boldly asks: Can a small screen be too small?<\/p>\n We last profiled Cake in April when its line of lubricants, condoms, toys and sexual hygiene products made its debut in Target. The company now has five products in store locations as well as Amazon, Thrive Marketplace and UrbanOutfitters.com. Christine<\/a> reports that the company\u2019s well-lubricated expansion continues this week, with placement in some major retailers, including new space in CVS stores, as it announces $8 million in new Series A funding.<\/p>\n A few more from across the galaxy:<\/p>\n Image Credits:<\/strong> Bob Riha Jr. (opens in a new window)<\/span> \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Many entrepreneurs have been encouraged to believe that smooth storytelling and good social skills are enough to convince investors that things are moving according to plan. They are mistaken.<\/p>\n Instead of instinctively going into survival mode, M13 partner Anna Barber says founders should ask themselves existential questions like, \u201cWhy did you start this business? What are the fundamentals? Who are your customers? What problem are you solving?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt a time like this, trust is more important than ever,\u201d she said, adding that she tells entrepreneurs to stay in close touch, \u201cparticularly around bad news.\u201d<\/p>\n Before problems arise and between regularly scheduled meetings, entrepreneurs should get comfortable with asking for help and advice. Reaching out to share an update or ask questions sends a strong signal that you\u2019re not waiting for someone to give you direction.<\/p>\n \u201cTell them what you need. This is what we\u2019re here for: to roll up our sleeves and help problem-solve with you. Nobody expects any of this to be smooth sailing,\u201d said Barber.<\/p>\n Three more from the TC+ team:<\/p>\n +<\/em> is our membership program that helps founders and startup teams get ahead of the pack.<\/em> You can sign up here<\/em>. Use code \u201cDC\u201d for a 15% discount on an annual subscription!<\/em><\/p>\n Who would have thought a Roomba that both vacuums and mops would be such a necessity? Duh, iRobot did, and Brian<\/a> has the skinny on why it exists.<\/p>\n People are unhappy with the state of Instagram these days, and the OG app is out to bring Instagram back to its glory days with features like realigning the feed to the user\u2019s choice and being ad free, Ivan<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n And we have five more for you:<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThe Top 3<\/h2>\n
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Startups and VC<\/h2>\n
What can the 2000 dot-com crash teach us about the 2022 tech downturn?<\/h2>\n
Big Tech Inc.<\/h2>\n