Welcome to Startups Weekly, a nuanced take on this week’s startup news and trends by Senior Reporter and Equity co-host Natasha Mascarenhas. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here.
Toward the end of 2022, a number of entrepreneurs, some citing Elon Musk, told me that they’re bringing back an in-person work culture in the following year to help promote productivity and, in some cases, loyalty. One founder even told me over drinks and fancy snacks that they weren’t worried about losing talent — because those who leave just because there’s an in-person mandate weren’t truly mission-driven to begin with.
While some founders are clearly set on a return, others are confused. There’s the argument — sometimes coming from venture capitalists desperate to see portfolio companies succe...