Can a small team of engineers replace a giant consulting firm? Ode with Anthropic thinks so.

A startup called Ode with Anthropic is making a bold wager: that a lean team of engineers can do what armies of consultants once did. The venture, backed by Anthropic, Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman, and Goldman Sachs, places forward-deployed engineers directly inside enterprise firms to help them build and deploy AI solutions.

On a recent episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, host Rebecca Bellan spoke with Ode’s leaders, Chris Taylor and Eddie Siegel. The two founded Fractional AI, an applied AI services shop that Ode acquired earlier this year to become the venture’s core. They explained why so many corporate AI projects stall before going live — and why they believe AI-native services are poised to become one of the biggest growth areas in technology.

The conversation highlighted a critical gap: many companies invest heavily in AI pilots but fail to get them into production. Ode’s model aims to bridge that gap by embedding engineers who can work alongside internal teams, turning prototypes into real-world tools. For those interested, the full episode is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and other platforms. Follow Equity on X and Threads at @EquityPod.