Loading the player… var playerInstance_30711601 = jwplayer( "jwppp-video-30711601" ); playerInstance_30711601.setup({ playlist: "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/kLjKnyBL", })
Vibe coding has taken the tech industry by storm, and it’s not just the Lovables and Replits of the world that are winning. The startups building the infrastructure behind them are cashing in too. 
Supabase, the open-source database platform that’s become the backend of choice for the vibe-coding world, raised $100 million at a $5 billion valuation just months after closing $200 million at $2 billion. But co-founder and CEO Paul Copplestone has a surprising strategy: he keeps turning down million-dollar enterprise contracts from deep-pocketed but demanding customers. He’s betting instead that if he sticks to his own product vision, the world will come to him. So far, he’s been right.  
Today on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Julie Bort sat down with Copplestone to explore Supabase’s rise and what it means for vibe coding, developers and the database giants who have historically controlled this market. 
Subscribe to Equity on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod.
Topics
© 2025 TechCrunch Media LLC.

Quiz 1:
Who raised $100 million at a $5 billion valuation recently?
A. Supabase
B. Lovables
C. Replits
D. Database giants who have historically controlled this market

Answers:
Quiz 1: A

Quiz 2:
What is Paul Copplestone's surprising strategy for Supabase?
A. Accepting million-dollar enterprise contracts from demanding customers
B. Focusing on developing new hardware products
C. Betting on the rise of vibe coding and sticking to his own product vision
D. Expanding into other markets unrelated to databases

Answers:
Quiz 2: C

Quiz 3:
What podcast was Julie Bort a guest on to discuss Supabase's rise?
A. TechCrunch's Equity podcast
B. TechCrunch's Hardware podcast
C. TechCrunch's Startups podcast
D. TechCrunch's Market Analysis podcast

Answers:
Quiz 3: A