Startup founders are being pushed to move faster than ever, using AI while facing tighter funding, rising infrastructure costs, and more pressure to show real traction early. Cloud credits, access to GPUs, and foundation models have made it easier to get started, but those early infrastructure choices can have unforeseen consequences once startups move beyond free credits and into real cloud bills.

On this episode of TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan caught up with Darren Mowry, Google Cloud’s vice president of global startups who is right at the center of those tradeoffs. Together, they discuss what Mowry’s seeing across the startup ecosystem, how Google Cloud is competing for AI startups, and what founders should be thinking about as they scale.

Listen to the full episode to hear about:

How Google positions against AWS and Microsoft in the AI startup race.

TPUs vs GPUs: How much does hardware choice matter for early-stage companies?

Which AI verticals are seeing real growth, and what’s standing out in biotech, climate tech, developer tools, and world models.

What red flags will signal that a startup isn’t going to make it.

Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod.

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Google Cloud's VP for startups on reading your "check engine light" before it's too late