From Roombas to e-bikes, why are hardware startups faltering?

The hardware world had a brutal week, and iRobot, noand Rad Power Bikes all bankruptcy filings.

Each company faces its own combination of pricing issues, supply issues, and shifting markets, but together they tell a larger story about the challenges of building infrastructure in an era of global trade tensions and low-cost foreign competition. From the maker of Roomba that was nearly bought by Amazon to the e-bike company that couldn’t escape its Chinese influence, this week’s returns are a warning to hardware startups everywhere.

Today on TechCrunch’s Equity Podcast, featuring Anthony Ha, Rebecca Bellan, and Sean O’Kane discuss what went wrong at three companies that once promised, including OpenAI’s big bet for Amazon and Trump’s new strategy to AI regulation.

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