Podcasts about Bessemer

This joyful celebration of gospel music greats brings together Africa and America. Ladysmith Black Mambazo is the South African male a capela choral group singing in the local vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They became known internationally after singing with American Paul Simon on his joyous Grammy Award winning 1986 album Graceland. The Fairfield Four, started over 100 years ago, won a Grammy for the Best Roots Gospel Album. The Four Eagle Gospel Singers are a historic a cappella gospel group from Bessemer, Alabama, known as one of the state's oldest gospel groups. The Gospel Harmonettes were a pivotal 1950s female gospel group, fronted by the legendary Dorothy Love Coates, known for their powerful vocals, civil rights activism, and intense performances that influenced soul/R&B; Also featured are The Birmingham Sunlights who are distinctive for using no instruments in their church services. APWW #40 Produced by Sean Barlow

Welcome to Printing Money Episode 36!  For this episode Danny is joined by a new guest, John Barnes (Founder and President, The Barnes Global Advisors, Founder and CEO, Metal Powder Works (MPW.ASX). From career foundations in industrial development John has built both an AM consultancy and a metal AM powders company. We are thankful to have his perspective here. This episode starts with a look at John's background and what's brought him to this point. Then, Danny and John review the MILAM 2026 event which occurred earlier this month in Tampa Bay. From Tampa the conversation heads to Australia as a nexus for the global metal AM powder market.  John and Danny dive into dynamics driving that. After the low-down down under, the conversation turns to Printing Money's why and wherefore — 3DP/AM deal analysis around the globe from VulcanForms and Hadrian in the USA, to SWISSTO12 and Additive Drives in Europe, to Snapmaker in China, and more. The best quote of the episode is actually a paraphrase from Seinfeld, as John drops “The whale is the largest mammal in the world, but it doesn't have to be!” seamlessly amidst incisive deal analysis. Danny and John will continue the discussion in person at AMS 2026 this week in New York City.  Meanwhile, please enjoy Episode 36 and check out our previous episodes too. This episode was recorded February 17, 2026. Timestamps: 00:12 – Welcome to Episode 36 and welcome to John Barnes (TBGA & MPW) 01:14 – John Barnes' career, in his own words: Sandia, Lockheed/Skunkworks, CSIRO, RTI 06:25 – TBGA founded in 2017, MPW founded shortly thereafter 07:44 – Can 3DP/AM materials companies be parts producers? 09:45 – MILAM 2026 review: A displacement between capabilities and use? 13:35 – Dissociating sustainment from new builds 15:00 – An impressive sense of urgency (at MILAM 2026) 17:12 – DoW inefficiencies stymie return on investment 21:21 – The global metal AM powder market 24:59 – The ASX (Australian stock market) applicability for metal AM powder companies (MPW, 6KA, 3DA, TTT, etc) 25:22 – Scaling, and the value proposition for metal AM powders 30:00 – 6K Additive IPOs in Australia 30:33 – Metal Powder Works' path to public markets in Australia 35:55 – List in Australia, scale operations in the United States 37:10 – MPW.ASX raises AUD 15M in follow-on offering 38:21 – Hadrian receives investment for advanced manufacturing facility 38:39 – VulcanForms raises $220M from Eclipse, 1789 Capital and more 43:08 – Machina Labs raises $124M from Lockheed Martin, NVIDIA, and more 45:44 – Additive Drives $20M+ round 48:09 – Uptool raises $6M from Khosla, Bessemer, Kleiner Perkins, et al. 50:47 – Kickstart this: Snapmaker raises a more classical Series B 52:38 – SWISSTO12 raises EUR 73M (not all equity) 54:48 – Perseus Materials receives strategic investment from Lockheed Martin 57:53 – Vulcan and Burgmaster merge to form MASTREX for very low cost metal LPBF 1:03:27 – Thingiverse to be acquired by MyMiniFactory 1:03:53 – Reasons for optimism for the metal AM market 1:04:52 – Thanks again to John, thanks for listening, and see you at AMS this week! 1:05:19 – Disclaimer Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing stated on this podcast constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer by the hosts, the organizer or any third-party service provider to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments in this or in any other jurisdiction in which such solicitation or offer would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.  The information on this podcast is of a general nature that does not address the circumstances and risk profile of any individual or entity and should not constitute professional and/or financial advice. Referenced transactions are sourced from publicly available information. Danny Piper is a registered representative of Finalis Securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. This material has been prepared for information and educational purposes only, and it is not intended to provide, nor should it be relied on for tax, legal, or investment advice. Investors should consult with their own tax, legal, and financial professionals before investing. Real estate investments are generally highly risky. They can be volatile, unpredictable, illiquid, and are subject to ebbs and flows and market shifts. Investors also risk the loss of all principal investments.

Do startup valuations today make sense?Umesh Padval, an early investor in Cohere, now valued at about $7 billion shares why Cohere stood out at the time of his investment. He shares what he saw early that made him believe this was not just another AI model company.Umesh is the Founding Managing Partner, Seligman Ventures and previously at Thomvest and Bessemer Venture Partners. He brings experience from investing across multiple tech cycles, from chips to cloud to AI. Umesh talks about how deals are really done in venture capital and what he looks for when everything feels noisy and crowded in AI.He also shares why many strong companies are choosing to stay private and what has changed in the IPO market. Public markets now demand cash flow and durability, not just fast growth.Umesh talks about why open source has become a powerful sales funnel for modern AI companies. Developers become the first users, and community adoption turns into long-term enterprise revenue.After four decades in Silicon Valley and 20 years as a VC, Umesh shares what keeps him in building and investing.0:00 – How big is the scope for investing in AI startups?04:04 – Do unit economics justify large AI valuations?06:00 – Thomvest's LLM investment thesis (Cohere case study)09:18 – Are CTO roles changing in AI11:21 – Traits of the best AI founding teams13:40 – Timeline to find the best founders16:52 – Partnership with Jyoti Bansal19:07 – Where is the IPO market headed?23:40 – Salesforce–Clari acquisition25:18 – Is profitability a prerequisite to go public?26:00 – Can the India–US corridor beat US–Israel?28:53 – Umesh's investment philosophy31:08 – Open source as a sales funnel33:38 – IIT → Stanford → Startups41:45 – The only CEO with 60 direct reports43:43 – Why Jensen never does 1-on-1s?48:23 – What ultimately drives Umesh Padval?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send a text

What does it take to build a $100M healthcare company? Honestly, no one really knows — and the people who do don't tend to talk about it. But Steve Kraus and his team at Bessemer have actually studied it. They've analyzed hundreds of venture-backed healthtech companies and published the research. In this episode, I pull six lessons from their work and ask Steve to explain them.LinksSteve Kraus: https://www.bvp.com/team/steve-krausDr Mustafa Sultan: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.musty.io⁠

We've got another property spotlight episode this week, showcasing 114 Elrie Blvd, in Bessemer! We're covering the affordability and cash flow potential of the area, the property's renovations, appreciation rates, and much more. --To learn more about our full-service turnkey operations, check us out online at www.spartaninvest.comConnect with Spartan!Facebook: @spartanTURNKEYInstagram: @spartaninvestLinkedIn: @spartaninvestConnect with Lindsay!Facebook: @spartanlindsaydavisInstagram: @spartanlindsaydavis

In this episode, the host interviews Howard Thai, a former top 50 Amazon seller and founder of the Elite Seller Society mastermind. Howard discusses how his mastermind group helps sellers solve problems, access mentorship, and gain valuable resources. He shares insights on black hat tactics in the Amazon marketplace and stresses the importance of understanding these to protect your business. Howard advises sellers to fully optimize their listings, monitor for unauthorized changes, and innovate through unique product bundles to stand out and succeed on Amazon.Chapters:Introduction to Howard Thai and His Amazon Journey (00:00:00)Host introduces Howard Thai, his Amazon success, and his background in educating Chinese sellers.Overview of the Elite Seller Society Mastermind (00:01:19)Howard explains the purpose, benefits, and unique resources of his mastermind group for Amazon sellers.Value of Mastermind Groups and Continuous Learning (00:03:16)Howard discusses attending other masterminds, the investment involved, and the importance of learning from top-tier groups.Black Hat Tactics: Stigma and Seller Concerns (00:04:22)Host and Howard address the stigma around Chinese sellers and black hat tactics on Amazon.Understanding and Defending Against Black Hat Tactics (00:04:52)Howard explains why sellers must understand black hat tactics to protect themselves and their listings.Current Black Hat Tactics and Amazon's Response (00:06:17)Howard lists active black hat tactics, notes their decline, and praises Amazon's efforts to protect sellers.Proactive Listing Protection Strategies (00:08:32)Howard details steps for sellers to proactively secure their listings, including team building and monitoring.Filling Out All Listing Fields for Security and Visibility (00:09:43)Howard explains the importance of completing all Amazon listing fields to prevent manipulation and improve searchability.Leveraging Filters and Searchability on Amazon (00:11:41)Howard highlights how properly filled fields affect product visibility in Amazon's filters and search results.Key Takeaways and Actionable Advice (00:12:52)Host summarizes three main takeaways: innovate with bundles, optimize listings, and understand black hat tactics for defense.Closing Remarks and Resources (00:15:59)Host thanks Howard, shares his website, and encourages listeners to follow his work and mastermind events.Links and Mentions:Elite Seller Society ShopifyFacebookAmazon Seller CentralTranscript:Josh 00:00:00  Without further ado, I am excited to introduce to you Howard Thai. Howard is a former top 50 seller on all of Amazon. And his origin story as a seller is an epic itself. Between selling thousands of units of hoverboards daily and battling with Amazon Incorporated on Amazon, Apple actually on Amazon. The story of his humble beginnings is a story too long to tell. He began his journey as an educator by single handedly spearheading the training of Chinese sellers on Amazon. The insights that Howard provided and the tools he developed led to what many in the United States consider the Chinese takeover of Amazon. He has saved, started, scaled and sold hundreds of businesses via Amazon and other virtual platforms. And he's done it time and time again. So welcome to the podcast, Howard. Howard, I think this is a good time to kind of talk about your mastermind. You do something with the elite seller society and you have a mastermind big, you know, kind of event that you do once a year, I believe.Josh 00:01:05  this is something that I've been very interested and I keep asking you about. I think every time I talk to you, I'm like, hey, do you have the dates? And do you know where you're going yet? So tell us more about that. And what is it all about? What content are you sharing?Howard 00:01:19  So the elite level of society is like, a mastermind that I have created. it's everyone that's been in our event, our mastermind events that gets, gets added into and, we kind of go in and help each other within our group, like how to solve problems, as well as, there's like, something that we can offer our group through, like, other mentorships or through, like, special, like things. I'm working on getting our, all our membership members. Members, that own, their own, account rep So that they don't have to go through the SAS program or SAS program. That really sucks. So they're getting like really good quality. employees and Amazon being able to support them.Howard 00:02:13  So I'm talking to Amazon on that on how we can actually make that work for our employees. So that's just something cool that I'm working with or things that things that are always open when you're in the mastermind. I like like you said, my shift change. Like you never you're in a box all the time. For most of the people that aren't in, in these mastermind I'm talking about, like, if you're even in these podcasts or in Facebook groups, you'll never get the same kind of, like information that you really could get on those different platforms than if it was in Bessemer. You probably know that, Josh. so, like, I'm just sitting there and learning and like, oh, there is this thing that out there to doing this stuff, you know, I'm not ready yet for it, but I know it's out there exists, so I need to do it. Like, for example, like, digital marketing, you know, I need to do some marketing, but I went to, I went to, custom conversion.Howard 00:03:16  I went to, a lot of, Carrie's events, like the weird events, you know, three and and even I'm thinking about getting into those two masterminds, right? One from all inside one site and also from Perry site, you know, so I'm trying to I'm looking into that. They're not cheap. They're like maybe 25,000 a year. but, yes, it's from the world, right?Josh 00:03:39  So yeah, I know that. That's great. And I agree with your statement there, Howard, in terms of, you know, the deeper tactics, if you want to go deep with stuff, you need to start reaching out and joining some of those mastermind groups. So I think it's going to take your learning to the next level. Now, Howard, you've educated a lot of Chinese sellers, right? And I think there's a negative stigma in the marketplace where it's like, oh, the Chinese sellers, they just want to implement black hat tactics, and that's who's always attacking me. you know, prior to this conversation, you and I discussed and you're like, you, you see kind of the black hat, black hat tactics kind of, you know, lessening to some extent or or another.Josh 00:04:22  But from your experience, you are so well versed on Amazon. I know a lot of sellers are fearful when it comes to black hat tactics, but would you mind kind of educating our audience in regards to what are the active black hat tactics that you see being implemented right now, and what are ways that sellers can do to protect themselves in advance, as well as what do you do if you do have a black hat tactic that actually affects you and attacks your listing?Howard 00:04:52  People think that, you know, like this stigma like, hey, you know, black hat and you do black hat, right? But the reality is, if a person has been in this industry for so long, they would need to know how to protect themselves. What kind of backpack techniques? Like what you're asking. Right. so, like, a computer security guy, right? Who does? Computer security? Needs to know how people are coming in and attacking the system. So if you're like a programmer an...

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen sits down with Timothy Chen, the sole General Partner at Essence VC. Tim shares his remarkable journey from being a “nerdy, geeky kid” who hacked open-source projects to becoming one of the most respected early-stage infrastructure investors, backing breakout companies like Tabular (acquired by Databricks for $2.2 billion). A former engineer at Microsoft and VMware, co-founder of Hyperpilot (acquired by Cloudera), and now a solo GP who quietly raised over $41 million for his latest fund, Tim offers a unique, no-BS perspective on spotting technical founders, navigating the idea maze, and rethinking sales and traction in the world of AI and infrastructure.We dive deep into his unconventional path into VC, rejected by traditional Sand Hill Road firms, only to build a powerhouse reputation through sheer technical credibility and founder empathy. Tim reveals the patterns behind disruptive infra companies, why most VCs can't help with product-market fit, and how he leverages his engineering background to win competitive deals.Whether you're a founder building the next foundational layer or an investor trying to understand the infra and AI boom, this conversation is packed with hard-won insights.The Open Source Resume (00:03:44)* How contributing to Apache projects (Drill, Cloud Foundry) built his career when a CS degree couldn't.* The moment he realized open source was a path to industry influence, not just a hobby.* Why the open source model is more “vertical than horizontal”, allowing deep contribution without corporate red tape.From Engineer to Founder: The Hyperpilot Journey (00:13:24)* Leaving Docker to start Hyperpilot and raising seed funding from NEA and Bessemer.* The harsh reality of founder responsibility: “It's not about the effort hard, it's about all the other things that has to go right.”* Learning from being “way too early to market” and the acquisition by Cloudera.The Unlikely Path into Venture Capital (00:26:07)* Rejected by top-tier VC firms for a job, then prompted to start his own fund via AngelList.* Starting with a $1M “Tim Chen Angel Fund” focused solely on infrastructure.* How Bain Capital's small anchor investment gave him the initial credibility.Building a Brand Through Focus & Reputation (00:30:42)* Why focusing exclusively on infrastructure was his “best blessing” creating a standout identity in a sparse field.* The reputation flywheel: Founders praising his help led to introductions from top-tier GPs and LPs.* StepStone reaching out for a commitment before he even had fund documents ready.The Essence VC Investment Philosophy (00:44:34)* Pattern Recognition: What he learned from witnessing the early days of Confluent, Databricks, and Docker.* Seeking Disruptors, Not Incrementalists: Backing founders who have a “non-common belief” that leads to a 10x better product (e.g., Modal Labs, Cursor, Warp).* Rethinking Sales & Traction: Why revenue-first playbooks don't apply in early-stage infra; comfort comes from technical co-building and roadmap planning.* The “Superpower”: Using his engineering background to pressure-test technical assumptions and timelines with founders.The Future of Infra & AI (00:52:09)* Infrastructure as an “enabler” for new application paradigms (real-time video, multimodal apps).* The coming democratization of building complex systems (the “next Netflix” built by smaller teams).* The shift from generalist backend engineers to specialists, enabled by new stacks and AI.Solo GP Life & Staying Relevant (00:54:55)* Why being a solo GP doesn't mean being a lone wolf; 20-30% of his time is spent syncing with other investors to learn.* The importance of continuous learning and adaptation in a fast-moving tech landscape.* His toolkit: Using portfolio company Clerky (a CRM) to manage workflow.About Timothy ChenFounder and Sole General Partner, Essence VCTimothy Chen is the Sole General Partner at Essence VC, a fund focused on early-stage infrastructure, AI, and open-source innovation. A three-time founder with an exit, his journey from Microsoft engineer to sought-after investor is a masterclass in building credibility through technical depth and founder-centric support. He has backed companies like Tabular, Iteratively, and Warp, and his insights are shaped by hundreds of conversations at the bleeding edge of infrastructure.Connect with Timothy Chen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timchenVisit the Essence VC Website: https://www.essencevc.fund/Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

AI drug discovery startup Converge Bio raised $25 million in a Series A led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with additional backing from executives at Meta, OpenAI, and Wiz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro Gilligan-Toth begin the new year by pulling apart something we all use but rarely question: the calendar. From Julius Caesar's ego-driven timekeeping decisions to the leap year, misplaced months, and how entire civilizations quietly agreed on when the year should begin, it's a surprisingly strange history of how humans try — and often fail — to organize time itself. But once the clock runs out, the episode takes a much darker turn. Jethro dives into the true story of the Memorial Mound in Bessemer, Alabama — an underground burial mausoleum inspired by ancient Roman catacombs and Indigenous burial traditions, designed to last for centuries. Instead, it became one of the most disturbing cases of abandonment in modern funeral history. After the site quietly closed, human remains were left behind for years. Caskets stacked like warehouse inventory. Bodies decomposing in sealed darkness. An infant among them. When urban explorers finally entered the structure in 2014, what they found triggered a federal investigation and raised troubling questions about oversight, neglect, and how easily the dead can be forgotten. Along the way, you'll hear:• The strange origins of month names and New Year's Day• How calendars slowly drifted out of reality• A “Thing in the Middle” packed with bizarre machine and technology facts• And a documented case of human remains abandoned inside an American mausoleum It's a story about time, memory, and what happens when systems fail — quietly, slowly, and out of sight. Keep flying that freak flag. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join a community of ambitious CEOs who are looking to build market-leading companies without sacrificing health and happiness.Check out: https://limitless.ceoWhat if the “boring” SaaS backup tool you rarely think about is actually a rocketship, and the CEO behind it refuses to sacrifice his marriage or his health to build it?In this episode, I sit down with my friend Mike Potter, co-founder & CEO of Rewind – the category-defining backup platform for mission-critical SaaS apps like Shopify, GitHub, Jira, Confluence, and more. We talk about how a catastrophic hard-drive failure at Adobe turned Mike into a backup obsessive, how he and his co-founder quietly created a new category in SaaS, and why the big platforms' own backups won't save you when just your account goes sideways. We also get into the messy reality behind the scenes: bootstrapping for years, supporting 16+ platforms without drowning, and ultimately raising from Inovia, Bessemer, and Insight without abandoning their values.The second half of the conversation is all about how to build a big business without blowing up your life. Mike shares the story of his first startup nearly costing him his marriage, the panic attack that became a turning point, and the explicit pact he made with his co-founder this time: “The business will not destroy our relationships.” We unpack his operating rules for sustainable high performance: respecting people's time, using sleep and space to solve hard problems, building systems so the CEO can walk away, and delegating so the company no longer depends on him to “save” it.If you're a founder or CEO trying to balance hypergrowth with your health, your family, and your sanity, this one's for you.Mike Potterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mikepotter/?originalSubdomain=caConnect with me:My website: https://limitless.ceo/Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/themarkmacleod/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markmacleodcoach/Subscribe to Mark MacLeod for The Startup CEO Show Podcast, actionable insights, coaching, and strategy for CEOS.https://www.youtube.com/@MarkMacLeod-CEOCoach?sub_confirmation=1

Guidelines for household cooking oil and grease recycling:Edible oil products ONLY (cooking oil or grease)Allow oil to cool before pouring into containerPick up one of our free containers (available at each location) or use your own with a sealed lid, NO GLASS please! No fuel or motor oil will be acceptedAny questions about the recycling program, please call 205-238-3876List of Locations of Household Cooking Oil and Grease Recycling Centers: Adamsville Pharmacy, 3633 Gray Avenue, Adamsville, AL  35005Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road, Birmingham, AL 35223Bessemer Fire Station # 3, 2316 Morgan Road, Bessemer, AL 35022Bessemer Fire Station #4, 495 Flint Hill Road, Bessemer, AL  35022Bessemer Recycling Center, 1601 1st Avenue North, Bessemer, AL  35020Gardendale Fire Station #1, 1811 Decatur Hwy., Gardendale, AL  35071 Graysville Fire Station # 2, 1200 1st Avenue SE, Graysville, AL 35073Homewood Fire Station # 3, 250 Snow Drive, Homewood, AL 35209Hueytown City Hall, 1318 Hueytown Road, Hueytown, AL 35023Jefferson County re-fueling station, 2420 8th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL  35203Keep Birmingham Beautiful Office, 4721 Avenue W, Birmingham, AL 35208Leeds Fire Station #2, 8475 1st Avenue SE, Leeds, AL  35094Midfield Fire Station, 704 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Midfield, AL  35228North Smithfield Greenleaf Heights, 4635 North Smithfield Drive, Birmingham, AL  35207Pinson Recycling Center, 4410 Main Street, Pinson, AL 35126Tarrant City Hall, 1604 Pinson Valley Parkway, Tarrant, AL  35217Trussville Fire Station #2, 7317 Roper Road, Trussville, AL 35173Trussville Fire Station #3, 8160 Gadsden Highway, Trussville, AL 35173UAB Campus, 620 11th St. South., Birmingham, AL 35233Vestavia Hills, 3400 Chestnut Ridge Lane, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216Have an idea for a County podcast? Contact the Director of Public Information, Helen Hays at haysh@jccal.org

AlabamaSen. Britt is interested in investigating Trump's tariff dividends proposalGovernor Ivey calls for public survey by AL Public Television before cutting ties to PBSResidents in Bessemer group ahead of Tuesday meeting on data centerState lawmaker pre-files bill to ban chem trails in the stateStudents from University of Mobile took part in worship service at jailTucker Carlson spoke with Alabamians about Charlie Kirk and speaking truthNationalSCOTUS agrees to consider case on asylum seekers still in MexicoICE surge in Charlotte NC already received 2 attacks from those opposedDavid Richardson resigns from FEMA after 6 months at the helmUN Security Council approves Trumps peace plan for Israel and HamasFederal judge not happy with prosecutors in James Comey caseState Supreme Court in Maine considers case where judge orders all religious activity to be haltedAnother sexual assault allegation is being investigated re: Sean "Diddy" Combs

AlabamaSen. Tuberville calls gender transition surgeries for minors EVILHomeschooling organizations thank ALGOP chairman for defending their parental rightsALDOT says there is direct conflict in plans for Bessemer data center and plans for BeltlineFederal Prosecutor Lloyd Peeples to run for District 48 seat in Alabama HouseAL Dept. of Veterans' Affairs looking to create veteran cemetery in North ALAL Dept. of Archives and History opens gallery to honor military veteransNationalSCOTUS rules in favor of Trump policy for only 2 genders on US passportsFederal judge tells Trump admin to pay ALL SNAP benefits in NovemberDOJ to issue subpoenas against John Brennan and enpanel a grand juryThree Chinese nationals charged with smuggling biological materials into USVA jury awards $10M to teacher shot by 6 year old student in 2023Air flight cancellations begin today due to government shutdownAngry Muslims declare their right to force Islam on Americans after mayoral election in NYC

Brian Moore is CEO of Voxel51, a data infra platform for visual AI. They most recently raised a $30M Series B led by Bessemer.  Brian's favorite books: Trillion Dollar Coach (Author: Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Alan Eagle)(00:01) Introduction and setup(00:22) Defining visual AI — beyond traditional computer vision(02:14) Why visual data is so hard to manage(04:17) Common “gotchas” in image and video datasets(06:43) Is it a data problem or a model problem?(09:41) The importance of edge cases and scenario analysis(10:46) Coverage and handling rare events in datasets(13:35) Using synthetic data and foundation models to fill data gaps(14:25) The origin story of Voxel51 and the birth of FiftyOne(17:56) Open source strategy and community growth(19:31) Handling massive visual datasets — storage best practices(22:03) Cost vs. quality tradeoffs in video storage(23:54) Cleaning and indexing messy datasets(25:49) Measuring real progress — beyond simple metrics(27:40) Compute bottlenecks and faster iteration loops(30:05) The economics of data infrastructure(31:53) Labeling inefficiencies and smarter annotation workflows(33:56) Hidden costs of data wrangling and wasted engineering time(35:10) Positioning Voxel51 and lessons for founders(37:53) The future of visual AI and missing industry standards(40:36) Rapid Fire Round--------Where to find Brian Moore: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brimoor/--------Where to find Prateek Joshi: Research Column: https://www.infrastartups.comNewsletter: https://prateekjoshi.substack.com Website: https://prateekj.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prateek-joshi-infiniteX: https://x.com/prateekvjoshi 

With me in this episode is John Ackerly, co-founder and CEO of Virtru. John started Virtru with his brother Will over a decade ago to make data security more pervasive across mediums such as emails and files. Virtru has raised over $150 million to this point from investors such as ICONIQ and Bessemer and built a very healthy business on one of the core pillars of cybersecurity. John has an atypical background in business well-complemented by his brother's technical experience at NSA. One of my favorite lines from the episode: he always thought he would start a business with his other brother. In the episode we discuss pricing strategy, which is certainly not all science, the founder outlook when starting a company, founding with family, and more. Website: https://www.virtru.com/

In this special live episode of The Data Minute, recorded in San Francisco, Peter is joined by Janelle Teng from Bessemer Venture Partners for a data-driven look at the state of AI fundraising.Peter and Janelle walk through the data on everything from the AI valuation premium to the new benchmarks for growth, breaking down Bessemer's "Supernovas" and "Shooting Stars" framework. They discuss why fundraising timelines have gotten longer, how dilution remains steady despite soaring valuations, and why San Francisco is still the undisputed center of the AI boom. Plus, they take questions from an audience of AI founders on everything from calculating TAM to navigating a potential AI bubble.This is your front-row seat to the conversation every AI founder needs to hear.The State of AI 2025 - Bessemer Venture Partners:https://www.bvp.com/atlas/the-state-of-ai-2025Subscribe to Carta's weekly Data Minute newsletter: https://carta.com/subscribe/data-newsletter-sign-up/Explore interactive startup and VC data, with Carta's Data Desk: https://carta.com/data-desk/01:03 – A look back: Venture funding since 202102:35 – Pre-ChatGPT vs. Post-ChatGPT funding waves04:18 – How long should your runway be today?04:54 – "Nail it before you scale it": The philosophy of efficient growth06:15 – The new reality of Seed-to-Series-A graduation rates07:31 – Is every software company now an AI company?09:27 – The AI valuation premium at the Seed stage11:14 – AI infrastructure vs. application layer companies13:06 – Bessemer's benchmarks: "Supernovas" vs. "Shooting Stars"14:36 – Why top-line growth can be misleading17:10 – Why retention is table stakes, but gross margins can wait21:12 – The new benchmark: Revenue per employee22:48 – Advice for founders who aren't a "Supernova"26:45 – Why dilution has remained steady at ~20%30:39 – Valuation is not a badge of honor—it's a hurdle33:20 – Why the Bay Area is still the center of the AI universe35:56 – The hiring slowdown and the rise of lean teams38:51 – The soaring cost of AI/ML engineering talent40:00 – Bessemer's key takeaways on the future of AI43:13 – Audience Q&A starts43:33 – Q1: How should founders think about calculating TAM?46:44 – Q2: As a frontier tech company, how do we compete with app-layer startups?48:48 – Q3: How do we compete against incumbents who are adding native AI features?51:31 – Q4: Should VCs back fewer "good" companies to chase the "Supernovas"?55:03 – Q5: Are we in an AI bubble, and when will it pop?This presentation contains general information only and eShares, Inc. dba Carta, Inc. (“Carta”) is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services, and is for informational purposes only.  This presentation is not a substitute for such professional advice or services nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business or interests. © 2025 eShares, Inc., dba Carta, Inc. All rights reserved.

"Processing Grief - Live by Letting Go" examines how emotional, psychological, and spiritual wounds don't simply fade but build up over time, requiring intentional care. In this episode of Southern Medicine, Randy Glick and Rodney Overstreet, CRNA, discuss the stages of grief, treatment options, emerging research, and what a supportive care team looks like. They also explore how family and friends can help, along with practical tools and resources to move forward and release what keeps us stuck. A CRNA at UAB Medical West, in Bessemer, Alabama, Rodney felt called to heal from a young age. He has spent his career putting people to sleep — and now he wants to help them wake up. "They taught us how to heal others, but neglected to teach us how to heal ourselves," he said. Rodney's nonprofit, Heal Our Healers, aims to remedy this institutional illness. Rodney enjoys studying and lecturing on burnout, compassion fatigue, and PTSD in healthcare providers.

In the latest episode of Goldman Sachs Exchanges: Great Investors, Byron Deeter, a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, discusses the venture capital landscape and the most promising developments in artificial intelligence and the software industry with Goldman Sachs' Ken Hirsch. This episode was recorded on September 23, 2025. The opinions and views expressed herein are as of the date of publication, subject to change without notice, and may not necessarily reflect the institutional views of Goldman Sachs or its affiliates. The material provided is intended for informational purposes only, and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation from any Goldman Sachs entity to take any particular action, or an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any securities or financial products.  This material may contain forward-looking statements.  Past performance is not indicative of future results. Neither Goldman Sachs nor any of its affiliates make any representations or warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the statements or information contained herein and disclaim any liability whatsoever for reliance on such information for any purpose.  Each name of a third-party organization mentioned is the property of the company to which it relates, is used here strictly for informational and identification purposes only and is not used to imply any ownership or license rights between any such company and Goldman Sachs.  A transcript is provided for convenience and may differ from the original video or audio content.  Goldman Sachs is not responsible for any errors in the transcript. This material should not be copied, distributed, published, or reproduced in whole or in part or disclosed by any recipient to any other person without the express written consent of Goldman Sachs.    © 2025 Goldman Sachs. All rights reserved.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Notes: Brian Potter, author of The Origins of Efficiency, explains his core model of efficiency, which includes five levers: production method, increasing production rate, lowering input costs, removing steps, and reducing variability. The Work behind the Book Brian discusses his background in the construction industry and his initial struggles in writing the book, including difficulties in explaining his thesis simply and coherently and the inspiration behind writing the book. He describes his process of iterating and refining his ideas, eventually classifying various strategies for improving productivity into a few key buckets.  Economies of Scale in the Construction Industry The conversation turns to the book's argument that construction costs have not decreased, contrasting it with other manufactured goods. Brian explains the unique challenges in achieving economies of scale in construction, such as the difficulty in transporting buildings and the high costs of building materials and labor. He discusses the historical lack of economies of scale in large home builders and the challenges posed by different building codes, permitting jurisdictions, and environmental requirements. Brian emphasizes the difficulty of reducing input costs in construction due to the fixed nature of building materials and labor costs and explains how it compares to other industries and products.  How Transport Impacts Costs in Construction The book explores the importance of reducing transport costs for efficiency gains, and Brian explains how the development of railroads in the 19th century enabled large-scale production by reducing transport costs and improving reliability. He discusses the impact of container shipping on modern manufacturing, highlighting the cost advantages of larger container ships due to geometric scaling and fixed cost scaling. Brian also mentions the historical example of iron stoves becoming more common after the development of railroads, which made it economical to transport them long distances. How Changing Production Methods Reduce Cost  Brian is asked for an example of how changing production methods can unlock efficiency, and he talks about the discovery of a new process for making steel, which dramatically reduced the cost and time required to produce steel compared to the cementation process. He explains how the Bessemer process allowed for the widespread use of steel in construction, enabling the construction of buildings with steel frames. Brian highlights the importance of technological advancements in reducing the cost and increasing the efficiency of production methods. Examples of Efficiency Gains: Increasing Production Rate When asked for an example of how increasing production rate can lead to efficiency gains, Brian refers to container shipping, where larger ships have reduced costs per container due to geometric scaling and fixed cost scaling. He explains how spreading fixed costs over a larger output can make production more efficient. Brian mentions the example of Japanese factories in the 1980s, which were cheaper to build because they needed to store less inventory due to lean manufacturing principles. How Lowering Input Costs Leads to Efficiency Gains Brian explains how thread is an example of how lowering input costs can lead to efficiency gains. Thread became much cheaper due to technological advancements in spinning and weaving. He explains how cheaper inputs can lead to lower costs in the final product, making it more affordable for consumers. Brian also mentions the example of Iceland producing a large amount of aluminum due to its cheap hydroelectricity, which is a significant input cost in aluminum production. Improving Efficiency Gains by Removing Steps Brian shares an example of removing unnecessary steps in the production process at Tesla, such as removing sound-absorbing mats in the car that did not add value and the robots were having great difficulty installing. When they ran tests they found the mats didn't actually improve noise reduction. Brian explains how minimizing unnecessary steps can reduce costs and improve efficiency. He talks about common steps that can be removed ,and the importance of minimizing inventories and buffers in lean manufacturing to reduce costs and improve flow. Reducing Variability to Improve Efficiency Gains Brian discusses the example of semiconductor manufacturing, where reducing variability can significantly increase yields and reduce waste. He explains how precise control of the manufacturing process can lead to more reliable and efficient production. Brian mentions the importance of reducing errors and failures in production processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Evolution of Construction Physics Brian explains how his Substack started focusing on construction and housing but expanded to include topics like the energy grid, energy tech, institutions, innovation dynamics, and global production. He explains how his work at a construction startup influenced the topics he covered in the Substack, and how he began by just following his interests. However, later a thinktank became a fan of his Substack and sponsored him. Brian also mentions the support he received from the Institute for Progress, which helped him expand his reach and focus on broader topics. The Role of Institutions and Organizations as a Production Technology  Brian explains that organizations and the way work is structured can be a significant factor in productivity improvement. He discusses the importance of lean manufacturing and other industrial improvement methods in rearranging work to improve efficiency. He also mentions that organizations and their patterns and behaviors can embody important technological knowledge and practices. Research and Primary Sources   Brian shares that he is primarily a text-based researcher and relies on books, manuals, and other written sources for his research. He explains that his experience working in the construction industry informs his understanding of different industries and production methods. He also discusses the importance of finding sources that provide detailed information about production processes and technological advancements, and why he doesn't talk to much about manufacturing in China. Future Plans and Final Thoughts Looking ahead, Brian has ideas for new books, including a short history of the shipbuilding industry. He also discusses his ongoing work on the Substack Construction Physics and his focus on following his interests and learning more about various topics. Timestamps: 00:02: Origins of Efficiency: Introduction and Core Model  05:07: Challenges in Construction Efficiency  09:37: Transport Costs and Economies of Scale  14:10: Examples of Efficiency Gains: Production Methods 18:55: Examples of Efficiency Gains: Increasing Production Rate  21:16: Examples of Efficiency Gains: Lowering Input Costs  24:10: Examples of Efficiency Gains: Removing Steps 27:38: Examples of Efficiency Gains: Reducing Variability  Links: Substack: Construction Physics  (embedded link on that phrase should be: https://www.construction-physics.com/p/my-book-the-origins-of-efficiency?r=oq1t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false The Book: The Origins of Efficiency   (link should be: https://amzn.to/3IN38ii   Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.  

In another special solo episode, host Peter Walker tackles the most requested topic on The Data Minute: AI funding and valuations. Using data from Carta and Bessemer Venture Partners, Peter unpacks what's really happening inside the AI boom.He walks through five key charts that reveal where the capital is flowing, the massive valuation premiums AI-native companies command at Seed and Series A, and why San Francisco is still the undisputed center of the AI universe. Peter also breaks down Bessemer's new benchmarks for growth, "Supernovas" and "Shooting Stars", and explains the incredible speed at which top AI companies are reaching $100 million in revenue.This episode is a tactical guide for founders, explaining the new growth expectations in venture and the critical trade-off between speed and profitability.AI Fundraising Trends 2024:https://carta.com/data/ai-fundraising-trends-2024The State of AI 2025 - Bessemer Venture Partners:https://www.bvp.com/atlas/the-state-of-ai-2025Subscribe to Carta's weekly Data Minute newsletter: https://carta.com/subscribe/data-newsletter-sign-up/Explore interactive startup and VC data, with Carta's Data Desk: https://carta.com/data-desk/00:00 – Intro: A deep dive into AI funding and valuations00:50 – How capital is flowing into AI by stage01:34 – Why SF is the geographic center of AI02:23 – The 40% valuation premium for AI startups at Seed03:42 – The AI premium continues at Series A04:37 – The barbell effect: Mega-rounds at early stages05:07 – Bessemer's benchmarks: "Supernovas" vs. "Shooting Stars"06:11 – A new class of company: The growth of a "Shooting Star"07:22 – How quickly today's AI startups reach $100M ARR08:25 – Takeaway #1: The bar for growth has been raised for everyone08:54 – Takeaway #2: The trade-off between growth and profitability09:50 – Final thoughts for early-stage foundersThis presentation contains general information only and eShares, Inc. dba Carta, Inc. (“Carta”) is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services, and is for informational purposes only.  This presentation is not a substitute for such professional advice or services nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business or interests. © 2025 eShares, Inc., dba Carta, Inc. All rights reserved.

"Three Things You Need to Know"...Government shutdown latest...Bessemer makes a very bad list..."Debbie Does Movies".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bessemer Venture Partners Cloud 100 Benchmarks Report 2025 provides a snapshot into the top 100 PRIVATE SaaS/Cloud/AI companies. This year's report is full of new insights and trends that highlight how AI is impacting the software industry as we know it. Some of the key points in the report that our hosts Dave "CAC" Kellogg and Ray "Growth" Rike discuss during today's episode include: The Cloud 100 $1,117 billion in aggregate value - a 36% increase from $820 billion in 2024The top 10 companies account for $598 billion of the aggregate value - 54% of entire list versus 46% last yearOpenAI valued at $300 billion exceeds the combined value of last year's top 10AI companies dominate this year's list, comprising $464 billion in value - last year AI company total valuation was $176B (21%)The average Cloud 100 company reached the $100M (Centaur) milestone in just 7.5 years - AI companies only 5.7 yearsThe story on the Cloud 100 valuation multiples provide an interesting story on how valuation and growth are not necessarily trending in the same direction:The average Cloud 100 revenue multiple was 20x fell for third straight and down from 34X (41%) since 2021If you are interested in how the SaaS and Cloud industry is evolving - by the number, and how AI-Native software companies are changing the benchmarks this episode is a MUST listen!Bessemer Cloud 100 Benchmark 2025 Report is available by clicking hereSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bunnie Xo sits down with comedian and boudoir photographer Matt Mathews for a candid and often hilarious conversation about friendship, authenticity, and life in the spotlight. The two bond over their shared quirks—like avoiding pubic hair and red carpets—while digging into deeper topics of mental health, addiction awareness, and the challenges of staying true to yourself in a social media-driven world.Matt opens up about his journey from a difficult childhood in Bessemer, Alabama, to becoming a viral TikTok sensation, selling out comedy shows, and building a career that blends laughter with raw honesty. He shares the struggles of loneliness behind the success, the balancing act between public persona and private life, and the importance of showing kindness to fans.The conversation also highlights a pivotal moment with Jewel that inspired Matt to pursue music, sparking a collaboration and a new sense of confidence in his voice. While he admits promoting his music without falling into cringey social media trends is a challenge, Matt stays grounded, humble, and focused on blending his comedy with music in a way that feels authentic.At its core, this episode is about resilience, the power of storytelling, and finding clarity in fame—all wrapped up with laughter and plenty of unfiltered honesty.Matt Mathews: WebsiteWatch Full Episodes & More:www.dumbblondeunrated.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Tremayne Thompson. A co-owner of Perfect Note, a dinner supper club with locations in Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia. The conversation is a rich blend of entrepreneurship, community service, music, and food culture.

AI companies are hitting growth milestones in record time—some reaching $100 million in revenue in just two years. But while this pace feels familiar in tech, healthcare has always been slower to adopt new tools. That may finally be changing.Kent Bennett and Sofia Guerra of Bessemer Venture Partners join Steve Kraus to unpack findings from Bessemer's State of AI 2025 report and what they mean for healthcare. From “supernovas” and “shooting stars” to the rise of systems of action, they explore how AI is reshaping not only software businesses but also the way doctors, health systems, and patients interact with technology.We cover:

In this emotional Flashback Friday episode of The Radio Vagabond, I travel to Bessemer, Alabama to experience Gip's Place  –  a legendary juke joint founded in the backyard of Henry “Gip” Gipson. At the time, Gip was an astonishing 97 years old, still hosting Saturday night blues sessions in his tin-roofed music shed alongside family, locals, and wandering musicians. His motto, “No black, no white, just blues,” resonated through every note. Update: Sadly, Henry “Gip” Gipson passed away on October 8, 2019, at the age of 99, closing a chapter on one of America's last authentic juke joints. See pictures and read more on https://www.theradiovagabond.com/066-alabama/ This Flashback Friday episode was first released on March 15, 2019.

In this emotional Flashback Friday episode of The Radio Vagabond, I travel to Bessemer, Alabama to experience Gip's Place  –  a legendary juke joint founded in the backyard of Henry “Gip” Gipson. At the time, Gip was an astonishing 97 years old, still hosting Saturday night blues sessions in his tin-roofed music shed alongside family, locals, and wandering musicians. His motto, “No black, no white, just blues,” resonated through every note. Update: Sadly, Henry “Gip” Gipson passed away on October 8, 2019, at the age of 99, closing a chapter on one of America's last authentic juke joints. See pictures and read more on https://www.theradiovagabond.com/066-alabama/ This Flashback Friday episode was first released on March 15, 2019.

This week's distraction covers the alleged life of Hazel Farris. In 1906, Hazel's short-lived life came to an end after supposedly revealing a dark secret about her past to a new lover. After no one claimed her remains, a local furniture store (and funeral parlour) owner realized Hazel's remains may be a ticket for financial success. Need a distraction? I got you. Information pulled from the following sources Wikipedia - Hazel Farris -⁠ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazel_Farris⁠ That's Spooky podcast - Episode 240 – Mystery Meat Machine - April 19th, 2023 - by Tyler Hyde & Johnny Cann -⁠ http://thatsspooky.com/2023/04/19/episode-240-mystery-meat-machine/⁠ ⁠www.newspapers.com⁠ Birmingham Post-Herald - History Lives in Bessemer Museum - by Jeff Hardy 0 February 3rd, 1983 -⁠ https://www.newspapers.com/image/794842894/?clipping_id=134806609&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjc5NDg0Mjg5NCwiaWF0IjoxNzAzMzcwMjUxLCJleHAiOjE3MDM0NTY2NTF9.QX1AHpZp69w-aLOgFjuRC8Zwn5hoTn9oWkwW8ekRSVE⁠ Newsbreak website - The Tragic Tale of the Mummy of Hazel Farris: Alabama's Macabre Sleeping Beauty - by April Killian - November 12th, 2023 -⁠ https://original.newsbreak.com/@april-killian-1599867/3226703188173-the-tragic-tale-of-the-mummy-of-hazel-farris-alabama-s-macabre-sleeping-beauty⁠ Mummipedia Wiki - Hazel Farris -⁠ https://mummipedia.fandom.com/wiki/Hazel_Farris⁠ Mummy Stories website - Hazel Farris: The Mummy of Bessemer, Alabama - by Madeline Burkhardt - December 31st, 2018 -⁠ https://www.mummystories.com/single-post/madelineburkhardt⁠ ⁠https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1906?amount=500⁠ Wayback Machine website - HAZEL FARRIS SIDESHOW MUMMY -⁠ https://web.archive.org/web/20090629071159/http://www.sideshowworld.com/blowoffHarrisFarris.html⁠ The Atlanta Journal - See Hazel the Mummy: She's Well Preserved - October 27, 1976 - by Ron Taylor -⁠ https://www.newspapers.com/image/972591541/?terms=Hazel%20the%20mummy&match=2⁠ Nashville Banner - Nobody's Ever Proved Hazel's No Real Mummy - by Red O'Donnell - August 23rd, 1957 -⁠ https://www.newspapers.com/image/603575296/?terms=Hazel%20the%20mummy&match=1⁠ The Tennessean article - Killed 5 Men - April 27th, 1970 -⁠ https://www.newspapers.com/image/113461371/?clipping_id=122636562⁠ The Ghost Doctor website - BESSEMER'S HAUNTED HALL OF HISTORY⁠ Alabama⁠ - by Alan Brown -⁠ https://theghostdoctor.com/bessemers-haunted-hall-of-history/⁠ YouTube - “The Mysterious Tale of Hazel the Mummy: Fact or Fiction” - uploaded by Exploring History - 17 Oct 2023. Send us your listener questions to ⁠bit.ly/AskYOC⁠. Become a member on ⁠Buy Me A Coffee⁠ for as little as $1/month to support the show.  Get your groceries and essentials delivered in as fast as 1 hour via Instacart. Free delivery on your first 3 orders. Min $10 per order. ⁠Terms apply⁠. You can write to us at: Ye Olde Crime Podcast, PO Box 341, Wyoming, MN 55092. Leave us a rating and review on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Podchaser⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Podcast Addict⁠, ⁠Audible⁠, or ⁠Goodpods⁠! Don't forget to follow us on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Threads⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠YouTube⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bessemer Venture Partners recently released their State of AI 2025 Report, a space exploration manual for the AI software era. With AI now the dominant software force, let's dive into what Dave "CAC" Kellogg and Ray "Growth" Rike took away from the report in today's episode:The key differences in performance metrics between AI Supernovas and Shooting StarsWhy Vertical AI companies have a unique opportunity to outperform horizontal AI companies in the early daysThe importance of building a structured Proof of Concept or Pilot program into your customer acquisition processThe top 5 predictions for the AI market in 2026Top 10 takeaways for Native-AI founders and executive leadersThe top five predictions from the report for AI in 2026 include:The browser will emerge as a dominant interface for agentic AI2026 will be the year of generative videoEvaluations and data lineage will become a critical catalyst for AI product developmentA new AI-native social media giant could emergeThe incumbents strike back as AI M&A heats upFor the best listening experience, open the Bessemer Venture Partners State of AI 2025 report and follow along as Dave and Ray discuss the highlights.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

SaaStr 818: Anthropic, Cursor, Fal & Bessemer: The Realities of Scaling AI Join Talia Goldberg (Bessemer Venture Partners), Kelly Loftus (Anthropic), Jacob Jackson (Cursor), and Gorkem Yurtseven (FaL - Feautres and Labels) as they discuss the evolving landscape of AI, business models, metrics, and the future of generative media.  00:00 - Introduction & Panelist Bios 01:19 - How AI Companies Are Changing Metrics 02:20 - The New Economics: Margins, Growth, and Pricing 04:41 - Usage-Based Models & The Cost to Serve 06:31 - The Impact of Expensive Models on Margins 08:00 - Go-To-Market Team Structures at Anthropic 09:36 - Scaling Sales Teams & The Quota Debate 12:01 - Hiring and Team Building Tactics 14:47 - How AI Is Used Internally at These Companies 17:47 - Key Decisions & Pivots in Company Journeys 20:07 - Collaboration vs. Competition: Cursor & Anthropic 22:23 - Measuring Productivity Gains from AI 24:26 - The Metrics That Matter Most 27:16 - Final Thoughts & Audience Q&A   --------------------- Fin is the #1 AI Agent for resolving complex queries like refunds, transaction disputes, and technical troubleshooting—all with speed and reliability. See how Fin can deliver the highest resolution rates and highest-quality customer experience at fin.ai/saastr. --------------------- If you're serious about B2B and AI, you need to be in London this December 2nd and 3rd.   SaaStr AI London is bringing together more than 2,000 leaders and founders for two days of practical advice on scaling into the new year.    We'll have speakers flying in from OpenAI, Wiz, Clay, Intercom, and all your favorite SaaS companies, including yours truly with Harry Stebbings for a live 20VC podcast. It'll be fun, and it's all in the heart of London.    Don't miss out: get your tickets with my exclusive discount by going to podcast.saastrlondon.com   ---------------------   Hey everybody, the biggest B2B + AI event of the year will be back - SaaStr AI in the SF Bay Area, aka the SaaStr Annual, will be back in May 2026.    With 68% VP-level and above, 36% CEOs and founders and a growing 25% AI-first professional, this is the very best of the best S-tier attendees and decision makers that come to SaaStr each year.     But here's the reality, folks: the longer you wait, the higher ticket prices can get. Early bird tickets are available now, but once they're gone, you'll pay hundreds more so don't wait.    Lock in your spot today by going to podcast podcast.saastrannual.com to get my exclusive discount SaaStr AI SF 2026. We'll see you there.

  "What if your biggest career breakthrough started with a failed dream?" In this compelling episode of Kent Hance: The Best Storyteller in Texas, Kent sits down with Vicki Hollub, the trailblazing CEO of Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) and the first woman to lead a major U.S. oil company. From her humble beginnings in Bessemer, Alabama, to commanding global energy operations, Vicki shares a deeply personal and inspiring journey of grit, perseverance, and vision. Listeners will be captivated by stories of: Her father's relentless pursuit of carpentry perfection and how it shaped her work ethic. Her mother's magnetic personality and GED triumph, teaching Vicki the power of human connection. A surprising pivot from music to mineral engineering, sparked by a French horn and a brutally honest professor. Her eye-opening assignments in Russia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, revealing the universal values shared across cultures. The bold moves that led to Oxy's dominance in the Permian Basin, and the visionary leadership of Steve Chazen and Armand Hammer. Facing gender bias head-on in the field, and the importance of having advocates—not just mentors—in your corner. With memorable quotes like, “Sometimes we don't tell people how impactful they are to us until they pass away,” and “Trust is such a powerful thing,” this episode is a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and staying true to your values. Whether you're a student, a professional, or just someone who loves a good story, this episode will leave you inspired and energized.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Tremayne Thompson. A co-owner of Perfect Note, a dinner supper club with locations in Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia. The conversation is a rich blend of entrepreneurship, community service, music, and food culture.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Tremayne Thompson. A co-owner of Perfect Note, a dinner supper club with locations in Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia. The conversation is a rich blend of entrepreneurship, community service, music, and food culture.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Tremayne Thompson. A co-owner of Perfect Note, a dinner supper club with locations in Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia. The conversation is a rich blend of entrepreneurship, community service, music, and food culture.

The Pittsburgh, Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad Company was founded in 1897 by Andrew Carnegie to haul iron ore and other products from the port at Conneaut, Ohio on the Great Lakes to Carnegie Steel Company plants in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. At the end of 1925 B&LE operated 228 miles of road on 631 miles of track; at the end of 1970, mileages were 220 and 489. Enter our next guest who's carefully modeling the B&LE in the early 50's. Ray Brown has worked all over the United States and finally settled just west of Erie, Pennsylvania for two reasons: To experience as much snow fall as possible and to faithfully recreate the Bessemer and Lake Erie in a fifty by thirty-foot basement on a double and triple deck layout. Introduced to us by our in-house medical staff of one, (Mike Hauk) Ray's story is a great listen and one we're sure you'll enjoy!!

This week on Riding Unicorns, we're joined by Martin Kassing, founder and CEO of Upvest, one of Europe's fastest-growing fintech infrastructure companies.Martin's journey spans private equity, Rocket Internet, multiple startups, and now leading a company that powers investment products for the likes of Revolut and N26. In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore what it really takes to build an enduring infrastructure company in Europe.

Send us a textMiguel Armaza interviews Eynat Guez, CEO and Founder of Papaya Global. She has built an HR and payroll platform that has transformed how companies manage and operate global teams across 180 countries. After having faced over 1,000 rejections from VCs, Papaya has now grown to process $34 billion in payments annually and they've raised significant funding from Insight Partners, Bessemer, Greenoaks Capital, and more.We discuss why brutal honesty and direct leadership creates stronger companies, how founders need to learn "investor language" to sell the company vision rather than the product, the operational complexity of building global from day one across 160 countries, and how being a mother of three shaped her approach to building a hypergrowth company. Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today's global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join 80,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Markets braced for a massive after-hours earnings slate, including Salesforce, Nvidia, C3.ai, Synopsys, and Pure Storage. Nvidia dominated the agenda: analysis from Moor Insights & Strategy's Patrick Moorhead and CFRA's Angelo Zino while Byron Deeter of Bessemer discusses what Nvidia's print means for the broader AI and semis trade. Paul Hickey of Bespoke gives a read on sentiment as yields ticked higher. Jefferies' Brent Thill weighs in on CRM. 

Brian Neider, Managing Partner at Lead Edge Capital, joins BluWave CEO Sean Mooney to break down what great private equity investing really looks like — from systematic sourcing to building one of the most engaged LP networks in the industry. This episode is packed with real-world lessons from 20 years of disciplined execution and growth equity innovation. Episode Highlights: [1:09] Brian's early lessons in entrepreneurship from running a vending business to building top-of-funnel strategy at Bessemer [6:09] How 20,000 cold calls built the foundation for Lead Edge Capital's thesis-driven sourcing [17:06] The 8-point “strike zone” framework Lead Edge uses to evaluate private equity opportunities [27:06] How Lead Edge's LP network drives differentiated value creation and portfolio company support [34:30] The role of instrumentation and data discipline in unlocking portfolio performance [39:57] Advice to early-career professionals: treat your time, relationships, and decisions like investments [45:25] Life hacks from an investor: walking pads, airline points intel, and email follow-up tools For more information on Lead Edge Capital, go to: https://www.leadedge.com For more information on Brian Neider, go to: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-neider-7774041/ For more information on the Karma School of Business podcast, go to: https://www.bluwave.net/podcasts  

Episode 710: Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) and Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talk about how to evaluate risk and upside of new ideas.  — Show Notes: (0:00) Bessemer's $140B misjudgment of Shopify (5:47) Shaan's Anti-portfolio (15:26) Goal: Avoid Ruin (21:30) Outlier personalities (24:51) Underestimating Uber (32:16) "You can't overinvest in AI" — Links: • Want Sam's Playbook to Uncover Business Opportunities? Get it here: https://clickhubspot.com/bzo • “How to miss by a mile” - https://tinyurl.com/2rxubfwa  • Leaked OpenAI emails - https://www.techemails.com/p/elon-musk-and-openai  — Check Out Shaan's Stuff: • Shaan's weekly email - https://www.shaanpuri.com  • Visit https://www.somewhere.com/mfm to hire worldwide talent like Shaan and get $500 off for being an MFM listener. Hire developers, assistants, marketing pros, sales teams and more for 80% less than US equivalents. • Mercury - Need a bank for your company? Go check out Mercury (mercury.com). Shaan uses it for all of his companies! Mercury is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Column, N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC — Check Out Sam's Stuff: • Hampton - https://www.joinhampton.com/ • Ideation Bootcamp - https://www.ideationbootcamp.co/ • Copy That - https://copythat.com • Hampton Wealth Survey - https://joinhampton.com/wealth • Sam's List - http://samslist.co/ My First Million is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by HubSpot Media // Production by Arie Desormeaux // Editing by Ezra Bakker Trupiano

"If you never lived in a beloved community, you'll never know what it's all about." In this powerful and personal episode of Detroit is Different, Coach Kellogg known on the ballot as Kevin Jones—steps into the studio not just as a lifelong Eastsider but as a griot of the neighborhood he loves and serves. From growing up on St. Aubin and Leland to organizing one of Detroit's largest neighborhood cookouts and now running for City Council in District 5, Kevin drops gems like, "We are not just restoring homes, we are restoring hope." This conversation covers everything from his family's Great Migration story out of Bessemer, Alabama, to the transformative power of youth basketball leagues, and the resilience it took to turn incarceration into community planning. As he says, "My nonprofit was born behind prison walls, but its mission was born from love." If you've ever questioned what real grassroots leadership looks like in Detroit, this is the blueprint. Tune in for a dialogue packed with purpose, Eastside pride, and the kind of truth that makes you lean in and listen harder. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com

In this month's Digital Health Download, Steve and Halle unpack the headlines shaping healthcare, policy, and technology—with an eye toward where things may be heading next. From shifting political support for Medicaid and the ACA to state-level action on PBMs, they explore the unexpected ways the system is evolving.We cover:

Rish Gupta is the cofounder and CEO of Spot AI, a video AI platform for the physical world. They've raised $93M from amazing investors such as Scale, Bessemer, and Qualcomm Ventures.Rish's favorite book: Atlas Shrugged (Author: Ayn Rand)(00:01) Introduction(00:32) Video-AI basics: ingesting camera feeds across diverse networks ​(02:42) Edge-vs-cloud trade-offs for compute, storage, and bandwidth ​(05:40) Mapping the sector: hardware waves to cloud cameras to pure-software layer ​(07:43) Founding insight: why Spot AI attacked the video layer now ​(11:35) Bare-bones MVP: two-page dashboard that unified camera access ​(15:34) First-10-customer lessons & pruning the ideal customer profile (ICP) ​(18:54) Go-to-market experiments: ICP variants, pain points, and channels ​(23:00) Early-team blueprint: engineering-heavy, founders run sales ​(24:03) Hardware stance: free IP cameras to simplify one-vendor buying ​(26:01) Biggest tech hurdle: supporting thousands of camera brands & configs ​(27:00) Sales challenge: outbound fatigue forces novel GTM motions ​(28:55) Future vision: each camera becomes an autonomous AI agent with a "job" ​(30:25) Key AI unlock: massive context windows enabling flow-state reasoning ​(32:14) Rapid-fire round--------Where to find Rish Gupta: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/profilerish/--------Where to find Prateek Joshi: Newsletter: https://prateekjoshi.substack.com Website: https://prateekj.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prateek-joshi-91047b19 X: https://x.com/prateekvjoshi 

On tonight's show, I'll have Kathy Stokes, Director of Fraud Prevention Programs, AARP Fraud Watch Network. Kathy Stokes leads AARP's efforts in helping members and other consumers protect themselves and their families from scams and fraud and she will be sharing her expertise. In the second segment, Van Sykes with Bob Sykes Bar B Q to share about the Bob Sykes BBQ & Blues Festival coming up on April 26th in Bessemer, Alabama.

A packed market panel as Bespoke's Paul Hickey, Hightower's Stephanie Link, and Moor Insights' Patrick Moorhead join to break down earnings from Salesforce, eBay, Paramount, Snowflake, Synopsys, and AI player C3.ai. The panel sticks around for the big one: Nvidia. We have you covered from every angle. We also hear from Jefferies' Brent Thill on Salesforce & Snowflake, CFRA's Angelo Zino on Nvidia, and Bessemer's Byron Deeter on AI's broader impact.

Barron's Senior Managing Editor Lauren R. Rublin and Deputy Editor Ben Levisohn talk with Holly McDonald, CIO of Bessemer Trust, about market moves, industries, stocks, and investment trends.

The owner of Fresh Value Supermarkets shares his savviest tips and tricks for grocery shopping!  Episode At A Glance: This week on The SavvyCast, Gerry D'Alessandro joins me to share his best tips for grocery shopping. Gerry is the owner of Fresh Value Supermakerts and he is able to provide invaluable insight into savvy shopping! Everyone who steps foot in a grocery store knows that prices are increasingly high, so being a smart and savvy shopper has never been more important! In this episode, we cover tips and tricks for scoring deals, how to find the best quality produce ansd more. I hope this episode is as helpful for you as it was for me!  Who Is Gerry D'Alessandro? Born and raised in Birmingham, AL, Gerry D'Alessandro was immersed in the world of retail, working at his family's grocery store in Bessemer. From an early age, he wasn't just watching the business from the sideline; he was in the thick of it, bagging groceries. By age 25, his entrepreneurial spirit, honed by years of firsthand experience, propelled him to take a significant step: he purchased the family store. Within a decade, Gerry's vision translated into tangible growth. The single store in Bessemer morphed into a chain of 16 retail locations across Alabama and Mississippi.    Outside of his business life, Gerry D'Alessandro is more than just an entrepreneur. He's a dedicated husband, having been married to Mikayla D'Alessandro for 9 years. Their shared passion for exploring new horizons has taken them on numerous travels across the world, creating memories that they cherish. Questions Answered In This Episode: How did you get involved in grocery stores? Can I shop for my family without breaking the bank? What insider tips do you have for scoring the best produce?  What tips do you have for saving money on groceries?  Resources Mentioned In This Episode:  Fresh Value Supermarkets    I hope you enjoyed this episode! As always, if you have time to rate, review, and subscribe to The SavvyCast on Apple Podcasts, it would be so appreciated. If you would prefer to watch the podcast interview, check it out on YouTube. Blessings to you!   If you enjoyed this episode, check out the ones below:   Detoxing and Energizing your Body with Infrared Light Therapy Practical Points from Casey Means' Viral Tucker Carlson Interview

Daniel Khachab is the co-founder and CEO of Choco. Today, Choco's AI platform facilitates half of all food traded in major cities like New York, Paris, London, and Berlin, cutting food waste and streamlining distribution. Since its founding in 2018, Choco has raised $330 million from Bessemer, Coatue (its first European investment), and Insight, reaching unicorn status within 2.5 years. Previously, Daniel was the youngest Managing Director at Rocket Internet, where he oversaw growth across Latin America, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.                                     From Seed to $1BN in 30 Months: 1. We Killed a $BN SaaS Business to be AI First: Why does Daniel believe that SaaS is dead? What does an AI-first company mean?  Why does Daniel believe AI-first companies will win the next 10 years? What foundation models does Daniel and Choco use today? How has the cost of using different models changed? What categories are vulnerable to being attacked with vertical products from the foundation model providers? 2. Europe is F*******: Why and What To Do: Why does Daniel believe Europe is at a massive disadvantage in the next 10 years of AI? Chips: What can Europe do to encourage chip production and manufacturing to take place on European soil? Energy: What can European governments do to encourage energy providers and new forms of renewable energy to innovate to provide the energy AI needs? Talent: Why does Daniel believe AI talent is the hardest problem that Europe faces? What can governments in EU do to resolve this problem? 3. Lessons Scaling to $1BN in 30 Months: Does Daniel regret raising at a $1.1BN valuation?  Why did he throw a unicorn party with the round? Why does he regret it so much? What did Daniel spend money on that he wish he had not spent money on? What did Daniel not spend money on that with the benefit of hindsight, they should have spent money on? When your competition raises a lot of funding, does that mean you should also?