Vanessa Larco, a partner at Premise and former partner at NEA, believes 2026 will finally be the year of consumer AI. Larco has been investing in consumer and prosumer companies for years and predicts a shift in how consumers spend their time online, with AI powering new concierge-like services.
A key question is whether legacy consumer products like WebMD and TripAdvisor will continue to exist as standalone apps or if they will be absorbed into larger platforms like ChatGPT or Meta AI. This landscape also raises the question of where startups can carve out a successful AI-powered niche for themselves.
These topics were discussed when TechCrunch’s Rebecca Bellan sat down with Larco on the Equity podcast. Their conversation covered why consumer technology is back in focus, what kinds of companies OpenAI will not overshadow, and where the real opportunities are currently hiding.